


Cruelest Of Hearts - Eyeless Jack X Reader

by Vivian_R_Vergiou



Category: Creepypasta - Fandom
Genre: Creepypasta, Dark Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Graphic Violence, Graphic depictions of violence - Freeform, Heart Attacks, Horror, Mystery, Original Character(s), Past Relationship(s), Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, Trauma, Triggers, Violence, backstories, creepypasta fanfic, explicit - Freeform, not for the faint hearted, reader is badass yet dumb, realistic creepypasta descriptions, slendermansion - Freeform, slenderwoods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:34:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 177,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21514627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vivian_R_Vergiou/pseuds/Vivian_R_Vergiou
Summary: When the person you love most is violently taken away from you, you set out on a dangerous journey to find out what happened to him, making your life goal to discover the truth. What you don't expect though, is to uncover secrets that come out of the darkest abyss, accompanied by a cannibalistic creature with a navy-blue mask that eternaly cries black tears.!WARNING! Scenes of intence violence will be included, you have been warned. Reader Insert story/Creepypasta Eyeless Jack
Relationships: Eyeless Jack/Reader, Eyeless Jack/You
Comments: 18
Kudos: 162





	1. Chapter 1 Memories Of You

_**“The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”** _   
_**~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone** _

  
__   
_**There is no person that love cannot heal; there is no soul that love cannot save.** _   
_**~Carlos Santana** _

  
__   
_**When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done, help me leave behind some reasons to be missed...  
And don't resent me, and when you're feeling empty.......Keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest...** _   
__**~Linkin Park Leave Out All The Rest**

  
  
__**Memories are bullets. Some whiz by and only spook you. Others tear you open and leave you in pieces.**  
~ Richard Kadrey, Kill the Dead  
  
  
  
  
Hollywood Undead~ Coming Back Down

  


  
  
  
_The little girl whimpered loudly, her tiny hands wrapped around her legs tightly, as if she was trying to keep her little self together. Loud sobs reverberated from deep within her little chest, as tears fell freely from her bright (e/c) orbs._  
  
 _A small thump was heard and the boy kneeled himself beside the little girl ‘It happened again?’ his voice asked. The girl only nodded._  
  
 _‘Lemme see it.’ The boy insisted, resting his hand on her back, rubbing it to ease her pain a little bit._  
  
 _Sobbing a little more, the small girl raised her adorable face that was laced with a sizable blue and purple bruise that stretched all the way from the corner of her eye, till her little mouth, only to meet with the sweet, sky blue eyes of the boy._  
  
 _The moment his eyes fall on the bruise, his hands fly around the little girl, hugging her with all the power an eleven-year-old boy had, as she started crying against his small chest ‘It’s okay. Don’t cry. I promise you, once we’re older, we’re going to run away together. I promise you.’_

_~*~_

  
  
It was a sunny day as always.  
  
The bright sun had long ago climbed the beautiful and clear sky, shedding his light upon the surface of the earth, illuminating the place up with his strong rays of light, giving the whole world a tint of happiness and relaxation. Not a single cloud could be seen, even in the far distance, to threaten the majestic light that descended the earth, as the glorious last days of summer lasted. Still, there was a nice and cooling breeze that waved the grass and the leaves around, allowing any living thing on the planet not to mind the heat so much, and take a deep, relieving breath of fresh air and enjoy the day to the fullest.  
  
It was one of those days that families would go out on long walks, their children playing merrily and the parents chatting away among them, or the days were groups of friends would chose to go to the beach and spend their day enjoying the refreshing waters, or sunbathing all day long on the hot, golden sand. It was indeed a day for nothing else but relaxation.  
  
But not for everybody.  
  
Air was whipping your hair hard behind you, as you raced through the vast fields full of grass and tall pine trees with your [car](http://www.dieselstation.com/wallpapers/albums/Volkswagen/2010-Final-Edition-New-Beetle/2010-VW-Final-Edition-New-Beetle-widescreen-02.jpg) , making your way for the first time towards your college. The engine of the car was humming happily as you pushed the accelerator more and more, the roof fallen back, enabling you to enjoy the luxurious sun as you drove. The voice of the lead singer of My Chemical Romance sounded loudly from the radio, as the song _Teenagers_ played.  
  
It was really the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year. Despite the difficulties your ‘family’ posed you, you had managed to win a special scholarship at one particular college and thankfully, with the help of your grandmother and the bank account your deceased father left you –to your total surprise- you were able to start your new life. You knew that it wouldn’t be easy, as life is never easy for you, but you were preparing yourself for this for four years. And you were not going to give up now.  
  
Even if you were just nineteen years old, you had seen way too much of the world around you than you would like. Being threatened that if you didn’t help around, you would have been forced to drop out of school, you were occupied by walking around town along with your step-father Jake and making a living by singing every single day after school. Boy, how much you loved to sing… but Jake wasn’t the kind of guy you would like to be around with. What you made every day was barely enough to get you through the day and allow you to pay the bills. But it was all you had. Correction. It was all _they_ had. _You_ had nothing other than just a mattress where you slept and a computer that you called ‘ _gramp-puter’._  
  
But it was okay, now everything was settled and you were away from the hell-house.  
  
Your father’s mother, your grandmother, managed to come in contact with you many years after your father’s death –he died when you were merely six and thirteen years later when she learnt from a friend that you had won a scholarship. Your mother had taken you away and refused her to ever come in contact with you, despite the desperate pleads of your grandmother. Luckily though, through your gramp-puter, she had managed to come in contact with you again and both of you arranged a day that you would meet in secret. Needless to say, that from the few memories you had of her, you knew she was kind and when you met her, the same feeling of safety that you were deprived from all these years had gotten back. She said that she would help you out with anything you needed and gave you the number of the account your father kept secret, gathering money for your studies.  
  
So with the account at hand and fed up with your life at home, you ran away one night, gathering all your belongings into a single suitcase and running off to your grandmother’s house. And with that account, you were able to afford this car, your phone, new clothes and everything you never had.  
  
So, completely equipped, you were making your way to your college, ready to put your plan in action.  
  
Because this, wasn’t just a regular college.  
  
This was the college, your childhood friend Jack attended. West Point College.  
  
Ever since you first remember yourself, you had one and only friend; Jack. He was a boy that lived just beside your own house and was too quiet and calm for his own good. Even if he was four years older than you, the both of you were always seen together, playing and having fun all by yourselves. His calm nature and your hot-bloodied self matched rather well and you were best friends from the moment your eyes met. And you shared more than just your toys. Both of your families were the ‘poisonous’ types, for different reasons, but they still were. So, you only had one another to keep you going and fighting, supporting and protecting one another. Jack had promised you that he would take care of you no matter what, so after he was done with his college years, you and him would run away to start a normal life somewhere where you would really be yourselves.  
  
That was, until four years ago.  
  
One day, you woke up to find the news report saying about a strange cult that had killed a group of people right where Jack’s college was. The fear that had penetrated you was nothing compared to what you felt when the news continued on to say that another boy, named Jack Nichols had gone missing the very same night.  
  
The world was lost in mere seconds under your feet.  
  
He had gone missing.  
  
Going over to his house and talking with his parents and even going as far as asking some policemen about it and searching through the internet, it was evident to you that no one really wanted to find him. They stupidly said that he probably ran away or was the one that killed the teenagers, but you knew better. You knew that Jack wouldn’t leave without taking you along or at least saying something. And you were devastated to find out that they dropped the investigation.  
  
So you took matters into your own hands.  
  
Studying like crazy for four years, you managed to pass at the very same college. You had gathered all possible clues about his case and even went as far as contacting his roommate. The police and his parents might not want to find him, but you will. You will find him no matter what happens to you. You had sworn it to yourself that very same day.  
  
Parking your car skillfully at the parking lot next to your dorm, you get out, and with a quick look to make sure your [clothes](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=148880402) were okay, you open the rear truck, bending to get the last box with your stuff. By doing so though, a round of wolf whistles sounded from behind you, along with some ‘dayyym girl’ which you totally ignored, locking the car and making your way proudly to your dorms.  
  
Looking around you, you don’t fail to notice that the scenery is amazing. The dorms are placed near the forest, giving the place a vibe of both relaxation and creepiness, since no matter the bright sun that shone above you, the forest is still holding on to its shadows, that were lurking around the tall tree trunks. The boys’ dorm is right across from the girls’ dorm, and the closest to the forest. Eyeing the trees behind your sunglasses, you wonder if there was a path among the big bushes and the freesias that protruded literally from every possible corner. There must be a path hidden there. The police report said that they followed a path that was on the right from the dorms.  
  
Averting your gaze to your path once again, you sigh loudly. _Jack, what did you get yourself into?_  
  
Pushing the glass doors open, you check your little note and after some minutes, you locate your dorm room that, thankfully, is looking towards the huge glass partition that had a clear view in the front yard of the dorms and towards the boys’ dorm.  
  
Fishing your keys from your pocket, you unlock the door and pass on your [room](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Girton_college_A_grade_room.jpg). You were lucky that your grandmother had arranged things, so that all your stuff were already in place and waiting for you. Scanning the place with your eyes, you allow yourself a small smile. The room was exactly like you wanted it to. It was good that you would have no roommate, even if the room was relatively smaller than all the other ones. That way, you would avoid unnecessary questions.  
  
Throwing the box next to your bed, you plop down on the soft mattress, lying on your back and sighing loudly, you gaze on the ceiling, your thoughts quickly drifting to Jack and all the clues and information you had gathered. It was going to be one long search for him, but you were prepared. Either way, you were planning on taking criminology classes, so they might as well help you in your search. Without taking your gaze from the ceiling, as if you looked into it too much it would reveal you all the secrets of the universe, you reach to your pocket and draw out another small paper. Inside, you had written Jack’s roommate’s name and the number of the room he stayed. You were going to pay him a visit, right about…..you look at the clock….now.  
  
Rising on your feet, you stuff the paper inside your pocket once again and grabbing your keys, you go out, locking the door behind you. Looking around you, the dorms are now full of people that are coming and going at their leisure, paying no attention to you at all, a thing that helps you out a lot. You always tried to blend in and become a wallflower as soon as you could, because it meant no problems, so after so many years, you were a total pro into blending in. Girls were coming and going, others dragging their boyfriends along with them, others in large groups, all laughing and teasing each other, already planning their first weekend together, or sunbathing on the lawn. Paying no attention to them, you walk across the street, opening the glass door and entering the other dorm. Your ears have an automatic reaction and block out all the noise that your presence brings along, stopping all the whistles and comments that sound from every possible corner. _God_ , you roll your eyes, _boys never grow up do they?_ Following the numbers near every door, you are lead down a long corridor, stopping right in front of a dark wooded door. Raising your hand and preparing to knock, you stop in midair, your hand hovering inches away from the door, as your eyes fall in the small board under the room number.  
  
There, was Jack looking back at you.  
  
Well, not literally.  
  
You gazed upon the piece of paper, the face of your best friend smiling to the camera, with his blue eyes once again filled with kindness. You remember that photo. You were the one that took it in the first place. Under the photo, where the words ‘missing’ in bright red, bold letters and his information underneath. You inhaled a sharp breath, your heart tightening dangerously inside your chest, giving you a sharp pain. You avert your eyes once again to the door and knock, trying to get the photo off your head.  
  
‘Comin’!’ a male voice sounded from within.  
  
The door opens in front of you, only to reveal a blonde boy from behind it.  
  
He was tall, standing well at the height of 5’ 9’, towering well above you, with the body of a football player, being so buff, you immediately felt intimidated. His face was somehow childish though, with only a strong jawline to reveal his age and the few whiskers along his cheeks. He had chocolate brown eyes and tanned skin, that made him look like a lobster, rather than the healthy tan. The other thing that you detected though, was that despite the fact that his eyes were bright, they held inside a tint of sadness and sorrow, and due to that, some faint wrinkles had made their early appearance underneath them. It was as if this man grew old in one single night.  
  
‘How may I help you sweetheart?’ he asked, his accent slightly heavy.  
  
‘Are you…Greg?’ you say, pulling the note from your pocket.  
  
The man sighs and leans on the door frame, crossing his arms above his chest ‘The one and only.’  
  
‘I’m _______. I’m Jack’s friend; we spoke on the phone.’ You simply say.  
  
The moment you look back into his eyes, the feeling of sadness had expanded, completely consuming the man’s eyes and mind. His bottom lip trembles a little bit, as his lips part ‘O-Oh, you’re ______. Nice to meet you.’ you shake hands ‘Come on in.’  
  
He makes way for you and thanking him you pass inside the room.  
  
It was your typical boy’s room, with videogames and clothes thrown everywhere and two beds. The one on the right had covers and pillows, the other one was completely empty.  
  
Your heart tightened.  
  
‘So, u-um, Jack had told me a lot ‘bout you. How you grew up together and all. Please have a seat.’ He points to one of the chairs, but instead, you sit down on the empty bed.  
  
‘Really?’ you say as he sits across from you ‘You two were close?’  
  
‘Yeah, roomies and all, we were pals. Jack wasn’t really the kind to make a lot of friends.’ His tone was sad, but he nonetheless tries to smile to you, giving you and unsure smile, the best he could pull.  
  
‘I know.’ You say looking around and then at Greg ‘If you don’t mind I would like to ask you about that night. Of course, if you want to.’ Your gaze fixes on him.  
  
‘O-Of course! I would really like to help. What do you wanna know?’  
  
‘Everything.’ You reply bluntly ‘Sorry if I sound weird, but I want to have a clear picture.’ You give him a small smile.  
  
His eyes widen ‘It’s okay, don’t worry. I know you really want to find him. The police didn’t even ask me anything. So let’s start wi-‘  
  
‘If you don’t mind, it would be better to talk somewhere else. You never know who is listening from the rooms next-door.’ You smile again.  
  
‘Yeah, you’re probably right. How ‘bout we go for a coffee in about two hours from now?’ he suggests, a small smile lacing his face.  
  
‘That would be great!’ you stand up ‘I’ll be waiting outside the dorms.’  
  
‘Before you go though.’ He says and beckoning you to wait, he walks to the closet.  
  
Opening it, he pulls a box from the bottom and comes back towards you. As you take it in your hands, you notice that it has Jack’s name in the corner. Your jaw clenches tightly and your mind goes blank. When Greg speaks, it’s as if you are listening to him through water.  
  
‘These are some of Jack’s stuff. The police left them here, so I thought you might want them.’ The blonde said, but the only response he took, was complete silence.  
  
The whole world had disappeared from around you. Everything had grown silent and you were left standing there in the complete void, holding on the only things that revealed that Jack was real. That he was really here at some point and not just a fraction of your imagination of him. He existed. And now, on your hands, where the only evidence that he was really here. A sharp pain penetrated your heart, growing bigger and bigger with the passing moments, but you payed no attention to it. These were Jack’s stuff. They were _his_. It was the closer you had gotten to him in the last four years. And you missed him. You sure as hell missed that tall-!ss, stupid man more than anything in this world. Tears bubbled on the edges of your eyes and you tried to blink them away. You just couldn’t let go of that box not even for a split second. You were holding on to it for dear life.  
  
‘Hey ______.’ Greg tried to get your attention ‘Are you okay girl?’  
  
You nod ‘Y-yeah I’m fine.’  
  
‘You sure?’ he eyes you.  
  
‘I said yes.’ You reply harshly, your angry (e/c) orbs throwing daggers at him.  
  
‘Okay, okay. Then, I’ll see you in two hours. Deal?’ he says opening the door for you.  
  
‘Yeah, deal.’  
  
You leave the dorm, almost running on your heels.  
  
Reaching your room, you fling the door open, throwing the box carelessly next to the other one. You slam the door shut and rush to your purse, opening it and flipping it over, with all its contents falling on the desk. You search for the white bottle frantically, finally catching it in your fingers, you open it in a mere second, taking three pills from within and throwing them in your mouth, you swallow them hard. Breathing heavily, you feel your heart calm down from its frantic beat slowly but steadily. That was a close call.  
  
Sighing, you grab a pair of new clothes and go in the bathroom. All you need right now is a calming shower.  
  
Stripping from your clothes, you enter the shower and turn the faucet on, allowing the hot water to calm your nerves down. You close your eyes and try to calm down by inhaling deeply. It was a close call that one. From now on it’s better to walk around with your pills in your bag, since your condition seems to worsen and all the looking around for Jack will do you no good. If you flip out with just a box of clothes, what will happen if you stumble upon real evidence? No, no you can’t afford that. In other thoughts, you are currently curious on what Greg will tell you. You had read his testify for the police, but the men in charge didn’t ask a lot of questions. Or rather didn’t ask anything. So you had to be careful. You must not trust anyone, as long as you don’t have concrete evidence for them.  
  
Going out of the shower, you dry yourself off with a towel and change into new [clothes](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=148954169), walking inside your room and switching the stereo on, turning the volume up. You just have a few minutes for yourself before you meet up with Greg, so you open up your box, shoving Jack’s stuff under the bed to forget about them till you get back and proceed to add the final details around your room, making it look cozy. Well, to be honest, anything other than just a mattress would make the whole place lit up for you. But this is a conversation for another time.  
  
Looking at your clock, you realize that it’s about time to meet with Greg. Grabbing your stuff, you exit the room, locking the door behind you. As you lock, you notice some random girls standing on the door next to yours and are staring at you, not so discreetly. Paying no attention to them whatsoever, you walk outside, only to find Greg already waiting for you, sitting on the sidewalk, facing the girls’ dorm. You wave at him and when you reach him, both of you make your way towards the cafeteria of the campus.  
  
The place is full of people, other exercising and others simply having fun and chatting away. The cafeteria is somewhat full, with many people sitting on the small tables that decorated the lawn in front of the café, and choosing your own spot, Greg goes off to fetch both of you some coffee. Looking around you, you make sure that no one is close enough to overhear your impending conversation and when you make sure no one is watching you, you set your phone into the voice recording, resting it screen down on the middle of the table, playing it cool as Greg is coming back with the iced coffees.  
  
‘Here you go doll. With five spoons of sugar.’ Greg offers you your coffee.  
  
‘Thank you.’ you smile kindly.  
  
He eyes you suspiciously as he sits down across from you ‘Can’t help it; how the hell do you drink that? With so much sugar?!’  
  
You laugh as you take a small sip ‘It’s the exact same thing Jack asked me every time.’ you chuckle ‘Guess I have a terrible sweet tooth.’  
  
Greg laughs ‘I’ve heard all the horror stories.’  
  
‘And I assure you they are far worse than what Jack told you.’ you smile evilly.  
  
‘I can imagine. Since when do you know Jack?’  
  
You shrug ‘Since I was…probably six years old. My father had just died when his family moved next doors.’  
  
‘Sorry to hear that gorgeous.’ His sincere tone gives you a smile.  
  
‘It’s okay. But, let’s get down to business.’ You lean forward, looking deep into his brown eyes with your (e/c) own ‘Tell me exactly what happened the night Jack disappeared.’  
  
He signs ‘Let’s see. It was late at night. We had gone to sleep with a storm coming our way. You got to see that at least once to know, sugar; storms here are dangerous as hell. Anyways. ‘Round two o’ clock, a loud thunder shook me awake. I groaned and stood up, only to make sure that the windows were closed. But as I checked the window, I noticed two things; first, the storm hadn’t started yet and two; there was a f*cking fire within the forest. Of course, I was worried because there was no way in hell that fire appeared on its own; someone must have lit it, mark my words, so I tried waking up Jack. I shook him once, twice, nothing. On my third try, he woke up, grumpy ‘nd all, so convincing him to look out the window, he realized I wasn’t fooling around. I remember him saying that the fire was close to where freak-Jenny and her pals were hanging out all the time, so we should go and check it out. I was sure that he had f*cking lost his mind! I told him that chick was reading way too much of freaky books about cults and that he shouldn’t go. But you know how stubborn he can be. I remember that the last words I told him were that curiosity killed the cat. Killed it!’ at that moment, he stopped, his eyes watery from the flooding memories.  
  
You watched him closely, as he took a sip from his coffee and swallowed hard.  
  
‘It’s okay if you don’t want to continue.’ You say softly, but he just nods negatively.  
  
‘I have to tell it to someone sugar, or I’ll never sleep again. When he was gone, I stayed up waiting for him. One hour, two, three, four. The storm came and went, so when the sun started coming up, I decided that I had enough and I had to find the dude, right now. So I followed the path I saw him disappear in, until I reached the cave. And holy mother of flying sh!t, what I saw will haunt me forever. All of them, all four people that hanged with Jenny were slaughtered. Like animals. Guts and blood where everywhere! Jenny was still alive, but barely, and Jack was nowhere to be found. The whole place was a cult horror scene. I don’t know man, I still see that place even now, four years later. After that, me and my girlfriend Gabby took a whole year off college. I just couldn’t get them out of my f*cking mind.’ He sighed, downing the rest of his coffee.  
  
‘And Jack was nowhere to be seen again?’ you ask calmly.  
  
‘Nah, never seen or heard from again. He disappeared into thin air.’ He gave you a weary smile.  
  
‘And what about that girl Jenny? You said she was alive.’  
  
He gives out an ironic cough ‘It’s all that b!tch’s fault, mark my words. She survived, but she kinda went crazy and was locked up. She hanged around Jack suspiciously much.’  
  
You tighten your lips, almost forming a straight line. So that was how things were. Maybe Jack was set up on something. If she is still alive, maybe if you track her down, you can find some useful information. As long as you find out where she is. Maybe the newspapers?  
  
‘Thank you for telling me that Greg.’ You say sincerely, your eyes and strict posture loosening up towards him.  
  
‘Not a prob sugar. Jack talked much ‘bout you. I owe him to tell you the truth. And I don’t mind if you have more questions.’  
  
You smile ‘It’s okay for now, you really helped me. And I promise you, I’ll find him no matter what.’  
  
In your comment, his eyes lighten up as he forms a devious smile ‘You know, Jack really liked you, I could tell.’  
  
Your eyes open wide at his comment ‘Well of course he would. Or else it would be awkward for me to hang around him all the time.’  
  
‘Oh, come on now, sugar, you know what I mean.’ He winks, only infuriating you.  
  
‘I think it’s time for me to go back. I have some things I want to take care of and it’s getting really late.’ You say, looking at the clock. Time had passed way too quickly and the café was now practically empty, as the sun had gone down long ago.  
  
‘Okay, call me if you need anything. I’ll introduce you to Gabby and the rest of the gang tomorrow. They’ll be glad to meet Jack’s girl.’ He smiles cockily, only to bounce as your hand lands hard on the wooden table.  
  
‘I am not his girl. End of story. And I will be glad to meet them.’  


**~*~**

  
  
  
The moment the door closes behind you, you lean against it, letting out a sigh of relief. It was surely a long day with too much information. But, on the plus side, you had finally started your search and had taken things from the very start. Greg was a big help and you were sure that if you tried enough, you would be able to locate that girl Jenny as well. If she would be in the position to help you though, was a whole other matter. But you would do your best. For Jack.  
  
Changing into your pajamas and taking another two pills, you decide that it was time to rest your weary head for today, but as you make your way and plop yourself to the bed, you remember the box with Jack’s stuff.  
  
Leaning under the bed, you pull it out, cutting the tapes fast and proceeding to open it.  
  
The moment your eyes fall on the contents of the box, you immediately feel tears gathering on the edges of your (e/c) orbs, as a sad smile cracks your cold mask you where used to wear everyday with others. There, just before your eyes were Jack’s stuff. Silent House that was his all time favorite game, some of his clothes, a leather wristband you had gotten him for his birthday with many Japanese letters engraved on it and finally, a picture of the two of you. You pulled the small framed photo and held it on your hands, sweet memories making their way inside your mind, as you allowed the tears to finally roll down and stain your shorts.  
  
On that plain single piece of paper, was your own face, smiling widely at the camera. You looked so young, barely thirteen years old. Still, looking a little bit closely, you were able to locate a purple and bluish mark on your neck, almost completely hidden by your blouse. Next to you, was none other than Jack, at the age of seventeen, smiling as well, with his arm passed around your shoulders, while with the other one he was flashing the victory sign to the camera. His auburn hair was literally protruding to every direction under his usual black hoodie and his sky blue eyes were full of kindness. From the picture, you could see that you were in a photo booth, maybe somewhere at the local mall of your town. You looked so happy. So happy….  
  
With your tears streaming down your face nonstop, you place the photo carefully on your nightstand. You couldn’t believe that he had kept that lousy picture, no matter your unstoppable protests that you looked awful. It gave you a feeling of sweetness and longing though…  
  
Next one, was one of his hoodies.  
  
Totally black and with a large pocket in the front, you always swore that he had millions of these things, since you never –ever- saw him wearing anything else. Your tries to make him wear anything else always fell on deaf ears, so after some time, you finally gave up. This one still smelled like him as well. The faint scent of chocolate, mixed with black pepper reached your nose as soon as you pulled the cloth out.  
Now, violent sobs made your whole body shake, as you hugged the lifeless cloth, as if you wished it with all your heart, you would find yourself inside Jack’s protective arms. My God how much you missed him. His absence was tearing you apart from the inside, no matter how hard you tried to hide it. It was just too much. Too much for the little you. How could anyone hurt him? How could he just disappear without a single word? Had he forgotten about you? Had something bad happened to him? Why was the only human being that ever took care of you suddenly so far away from you, that no matter how much you tried, you never seemed to reach him? Why was he ripped away from you?  
  
It was the first time you were crying.  
  
Not even when you heard the news did you cry; no, you did something far worse.. or rather your heart did. You wanted to see him. Even for a brief second, you wanted to see him and make sure that he was okay. That he was out there and was okay. You could stomach that. But the idea that he had just vanished, was just too overwhelming for your fragile heart. He was your beloved best friend and you missed him greatly. It was just the two of you against the world and now you were left alone, wandering in the dark with absolutely no one by your side. And darkness can be a real foe. You prayed and prayed every single day for him to come back. To be okay.  
  
To be with you once again.  
  
At some point, you fell asleep, still hugging his hoodie with all your might.


	2. Chapter 2 Hide-And-Seek

After you fell asleep cuddling Jack’s hoodie for dear life yesterday, today’s morning strangely found you full of energy and inspiration to get down to business. It was the very last day that you would be sitting around before the classes finally start tomorrow, so you pretty much decided to get your abilities to work and use all the remaining free time that you had to do some digging around. And that meant: field trip to the cave! Hooray......not. You did really like going on field trips, don’t get you wrong, you enjoyed the serenity and peacefulness a forest or a nice walk inside a park gave to you, but this time, this wasn’t just a trip for having fun. You were going to investigate a former murder scene. Who the hell knows what kind of trouble you might run into and taking someone else along with you, was absolutely out of the question. Still, hoping for the best, you entered your bathroom for a quick and refreshing morning shower.  
  
Turning the tap on, you allowed the hot water to wake you up completely, energizing your body sweetly and making a small smile creep it’s way on your face, a smile that was sincerely coming from your heart, which was something really rare for you this last four years, if not a rare sight to see at all. Grabbing your favorite gardenia scented bath foam you apply it on your skin lavishly, its sweet fragrance reaching deep down your lungs. It was a happy morning, a really rare happy morning. Before you even knew it, you were slowly mumbling some verses of a random song, before going out of the bathtub and wrapping a towel around your body, you walk back inside your room, reaching for you last box that you have left unpacked.  
  
Grabbing it, you place it on your desk and open it. Within, you find all the evidence that you had gathered for Jack’s case, carefully stuffed inside various labeled files, so that you would be able to find anything you were looking for right away. Information from the internet, newspaper, from the college’s archives and also… from the police department as well. For that last part, you had gone beyond yourself and actually hacked into the police department’s computer archives completely unnoticed, and copied all the files that were linked with Jack’s case. Photos, forensic evidence, investigation material and pretty much anything you could get your hands on. For a police department, it was pretty easy to hack and go by unnoticed, even if you were using your gramp-puter at that time. It was though, all the evidence they had and you were going to use it to your advantage. So taking them out, you stuff them inside your small backpack, careful not to damage anything, as you throw a pen inside and go back to the bathroom to change into normal [clothes](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=153446011).  


**~*~**

  
Half an hour later, you find yourself carefully walking inside the forest line, moving the leaves of the bushes to the side as you make your way among them, constantly looking above your shoulder, to see if anyone was watching you from behind, only to be greeted by a completely empty yard behind you. It was rather strange; the time was already eleven o’ clock and not a single student could be seen walking around the deserted yard, either talking on the phone or hanging out with his/her friends as they should. It was rather….strange…and a little bit of creepy. You always thought that colleges were always crowded or at least with a few people walking around, not being completely empty like here. Then again, it was a Sunday morning, so most of them should be sleeping in or being over at their families houses. So it was cool.  
  
You turned your focus in front of you, holding on your hand one of the pictures you had stolen from the police, which portrayed a really narrow path that was leading on the cave where everything happened. Now, it appeared that the path was completely covered by the rich flora that spread all around like a tall green carpet, making you constantly try to push the bushes aside, desperately trying to locate it. If you had a knife along with you, you would totally be able to play Indiana Jones in here, but unfortunately for you, you had stuffed your pocket knife inside your backpack and you were currently really occupied by looking around to stop and search for it. As it stated in the police findings, the path was like that when they first found it, so they had to chop away most of the bushes to make it easier for them to look around, but after four years, it was only natural for it to have returned to its original state.  
  
An exclamation of excitement left your lips when you eventually managed to locate it, smiling victoriously to yourself and throwing your fists in the air happily. It was almost invisible, but now that you had gotten it, you wouldn’t lose it from your eyes, so you started following it closely. Students were no longer coming inside the forest, obeying to some unspoken treaty among themselves to not disturb anything around the forest again. Most of them strongly believed that there was something lurking inside of it since the day of the murders, but that was just superficial rumors, nothing else.  
  
The sky towering well above the tall trees was covered with a faint layer of light grey clouds. They carried no water along with them, but their existence and only were enough to deny the luxurious rays of light coming from the biggest source of life to touch the cold, hard soil in the surface of the earth. It was a very peculiar kind of weather; the transition from the hot but humid summer to the cold embrace of the impending fall, that lacked the humidity and replaced the warmth with a haunting chill was enough to leave the weather somewhere in between for a few days. It was neither too warm, nor too cold. But it still left the scenery as breathtaking as the two different seasons.  
  
The tall pine trees covered the whole place around you, reaching until your eye could see, in the distant horizon. Their branches were completely covered by a rich layer of deep green leaves allowing the light breeze that coursed between them to freshen up and be removed from any dust that it might carry along. Still, the waist-tall freesias and bushes that thrived here and there were giving the whole place a magnificent light green color, as they formed a breathtaking carpet that Mother Nature herself prepared for humans passing by them to enjoy, or even for the nymphs of the forest to dance among them when the bright moonlight would illuminate the hauntingly dark sky.  
  
Among the deep forest, the song of the birds was sounding loud and clear, a nice hum for your ears as you walked in the path the forest naturally formed towards the cave. The cold ground was steady under your feet and looking around you, the silver mist of the previous night was still lurking inside the premises of the forest and under the trees, giving everything around you a fairytale-like feeling; or a horror one, you couldn’t decide clearly. Yet, you were thrilled to be in there. Looking around you ecstatic, you were happy to see much of the forests fauna, as you continued down the path.  
  
After a little while longer you saw the trees clear up a few meters in front of you and walking towards it, you reached a clearing indeed, with a large cave resting on the other side of the small space, it’s entrance starting to be covered up by the plants that fell loosely from above it, but still visible. It could easily be a scene from a romance movie. Right in front of the cave was a clear space that could easily be used for a campfire and a hanging out spot, while on the right side, there was a small, bubbling brook. Fresh water streamed down, only adding to the nature sounds around you and making the place a perfect spot for late at night.  
  
Walking carefully towards the cave, you withdraw your Iphone from your pocket and start taking pictures from the space surrounding you, more to be able to see what has changed over the years, rather than to capture anything. But first, you make sure that no one was inside the cave by giving it a brief look, deciding that it’s better to take things slowly and first check the area that surrounds it for any clues and epiphanies, before moving forward inside. This way, things won’t get messy with constantly trying to mix and match the evidence and plus, you will have more time to think things through. So tracing the small area around as well, just so that you knew how much space you had to cover, you find a nearby tree and leave your stuff there, plopping yourself next to your bag and upon opening it, start to pull all the things you were going to need out.  
  
You settle them down one by one, and once you are done, you grab the file with the photos of the victims, walking towards the space in front of the cave.  
  
‘So let me see…’ you mutter to yourself, shuffling among the photos and picking out a photo of a boy ‘The first victim, was Fred Merses. Twenty years old, second year, coming from Oklahoma.’ You pick his photo and looking around you, you place it on the exact same spot that the body was found, exactly as it was found ‘He was found with his eyes taken out, as well as his intestines laying on the ground beside him due to a huge gash on his lower belly, caused by a sharp object that was unidentified. He was the only one to have a bite mark on the right side of his neck, probably made by an animal. His eyes and kidneys were removed after death, though, only his kidneys were not found. The bite mark was deep enough to reach his spine bone. He died within seconds from his first injury, which was…..the bite mark.’ You take down a note on your small notepad.  
  
This was kind of strange to you…what kind of animal would have that kind of power, to tear up a twenty-year-old man’s neck? Looking to your left, you gaze upon the brook and the forest that dwelled beyond it. The bite mark was not long enough to belong to a wolf and a smaller one to belong to any mountain lions, if there were any in these woods. It left you kind of troubled, but you just noted it down, to do a search later on, moving on to the next victim.  
  
Taking some steps to the right side from where Fred’s body was found, you do exactly five steps, before you stop again and search through your file.  
  
‘Luna Cook. Nineteen years old, Canadian, first year and twin sister to Bobby Cook, one of the rest of the victims. She was found laying face-first to the ground, revealing that she tried to run when the first attack happened. She died from a blunt force trauma in the back of the head, which opened her skull almost in half. I guess this one tried to run as soon as sh!t hit the fan huh?’ you murmur as you place her photo on the ground where she was found ‘The rock that was found next to her head carried her blood, as well as pieces from her skull, so it was the murder weapon. Her back was slashed open and her kidneys were removed, as well as her eyes, always after death.’  
  
Taking a last good look on the place she was found, you turn and take seven feet away from her, towards the brook, placing another photo on the ground.  
  
You sigh heavily and look at your notes ‘Sara O’ Donovan. Twenty one, a third year scholar, coming from New Orleans. This one was the only one to fight back; she was found face up and with various bite marks along her neck and hands, always bone deep, until a huge slash, starting from her shoulder all the way down to her pelvis bone, allowed her organs to spill out. She was the only one alive at the moment her eyes were removed and many of her intestines were bitten and probably eaten, since her half eaten organs were found next to her. Hmmm, guess that animal had a good human snack that night. Her kidneys were no-where to be found.’  
  
‘Next one in the death line iiiiiiiisssss’ you move back, almost next to Fred and place another picture a few meters away from the first male ‘Our lucky guy Bobby Cook. Nineteen, Canadian and Luna’s twin, he had his right leg smashed to smithereens, making him unable to run. The poor guy tried to crawl his way out, as the murderer dealt with Fred, Luna and Sara, before turning to him, tearing his head off without a weapon –oh, God, don’t tell me the Hulk tore his head off-, took his eyes out and threw his head on the brook. Nice going murderer!’ you note in sarcasm, being a little bit disgusted and a little bit amazed ‘His organs were eaten as well and his kidneys were missing. Oh God what a surprise.’ You mumble, writing down the findings.  
  
‘And the final victim of all was Jenny Smith.’ You say and cross the small clearing, walking to the complete opposite side, a little bit further down from where you left your stuff ‘First year, coming from Washington DC. The only survivor of this fatal encounter, she was beaten half to death, which caused a severe internal bleeding and a huge fracture on her head that nearly killed her. Only one of her kidneys was removed and she was found mumbling nonsense, having turned completely insane. She had no recollection of what happened and she was admitted to an asylum shortly after, before her traces went blank.’ You look around you ‘I think Jenny would be the one to enlighten me on this one. That of course, if she is able to speak.’ You breathe out.  
  
Walking around the small clearing, you leave down the rest of the photos as to where numerous other stuff were found, like a torn rope, a small pot with an unidentified black liquid inside, the place where the fire was and many more other things. After you were done, you go through the police reports once again, before you stand up and set your Iphone on the voice recording.  
  
‘So, this is (y/n) (y/l.n). It’s thirteen forty-five at noon, and the date is (d)-(m)-(y). After the examination of the crime scene, I have come to the conclusion that there are many things the police did not notice or get wrong.’ You say as you move in your first position, where Fred’s body was found.  
  
‘The killer attacked the first victim with raw power, using either a medium sized dog or another animal to bite the neck off, cutting the carotid and allowing the victim to die within minutes from severe blood loss. Then, as the animal was attacking the first victim, he threw a rock to the fourth victim, injuring him on the leg, before he moved to the second female victim, catapulting a rock once again, injuring her in the back of her head, paralyzing her as the reports said and leaving her there to die. The next one to be targeted, was the second female victim Sara. Marks of a struggle are evident, so it was possible that she was carrying a weapon along with her, that the killer tried to remove. This time, he spent a good amount of time with her, since her injuries were done before she was dead. Then, he moved to the fourth victim, before he charged against the last one, Jenny.’  
  
You gaze around, sighing once again and resting your left hand on your waist, as you continue to talk.  
  
‘Now, the findings: It was only one man. Only one, due to the fact that there was plenty of time between the killings, excluding more people being present. If he was related to a cult or not, this is not clear yet. The police were wrong to think that it was a middle aged man. The wounds and his method were indeed revealing a psychopathic frenzy, but, his movements were also in a mild state of control, revealing a huge scale of arrogance as well. He knew that no one would be able to escape him, so his movements were arrogant, revealing that he was probably around his early twenties. From the wounds on the victims’ bodies that were before death, it is revealed that he used a lot of raw force, so he was definitely a male. The weapon he used, probably the one he took from victim number three, must be some kind of a small knife, or hunting knife, since the cuts were clean and precise. He knew where to strike them, so it wasn’t his first time killing. Also, by the force he placed on his victims, it appears that he was enraged.’  
  
As you talk about your findings on the recording, your mind can’t help but play out the scene of the murder right before your eyes. You could almost see their surprised looks as the killer threw himself against them, injuring and killing them one after another, taking his sweet time in doing so.  
  
‘The fact that he wasn’t done with them and returned to ‘play’ with them more, guttering them all and removing both their eyes and kidneys, reveals an extreme state of anger, almost like he wanted revenge. He wasn’t done and satisfied with just killing them, so he returned to violate them more. Still, he allowed Jenny to live, something that I associate with either him being interrupted by something, or thinking that she was already dead. Also, by the gruesome scenery, I can only think that this must be a serial killer. He has killed before and he will kill again, if he hasn’t killed already.’ You say and walk towards your first spot, between the cave, the cut rope and Fred’s body.  
  
‘What I don’t understand though, was that if he indeed came out of the cave due to the fact of how the bodies were placed and found, ambushing the five friends, why none of them run in the first place? They had plenty of time; at least Sara and Jenny did. And also, why there was a rope?’  
  
Realization hits you had in the face. Your mouth half opens as you manage to whisper ‘Oh, God. They didn’t have time to run because he didn’t come out of the cave! He was the one tied down! But how was Jack related to all this?’ you let that last question unanswered as you turn the recording off ‘I still have a lot to do around here.’  
  
And you sure did.  
  
Sighing once again, you gather all the stuff that you had spread out, sitting under the tree that you had made your small spot and started organizing them back into their original files. It was one hell of a good idea to come and see the murder scene with your very own eyes, there were like a million things that the detectives and policemen got wrong and it kind of stroked you as peculiar that you were able to find them almost with little to no effort. Like, weren’t you supposed to be the scholar or the civilian that knew nothing of these stuff and they should be the ones that were trained properly and devoted their lives in doing this thing? But no matter how hard you tried to justify them, one thing was clear. If you were looking for a teenager that was a murder suspect with a troubled past and a family that couldn’t care less about him, it was only natural to drop all investigations and think that he might have gotten himself already killed inside this forest. Still, it was something much more than a fact that caused your anger to built up because you knew the truth. You _knew_ that Jack wasn’t a waste of space and nor was he a murderer. And no matter what those fools believed, you were f*cking going to find him no matter what.  
  
Then, the complete silence that surrounded you, broke the sound of a twig snapping.  
  
As if someone had just kicked you, you immediately straighten your back, ready to jump on your feet at any given moment, as your (e/c) orbs scan the whole place around you, piercing through the lavishly green scenery, looking for the source of the sound, making no noise at all and being on edge. The tall trees around you though continue to hold on to their shadows and mysteries, betraying no sound of any intruder at all, making you wonder for a split second, if you had heard right, or it was just your imagination. I mean, who in their right minds would be out and deep inside the forest, yourself excluded. After a few more seconds, you decide to let the matter drop as a trick your imagination played to you. But right then, you hear heavy steps coming from somewhere behind the cave.  
  
You held your breath, stretching your hearing abilities and trying to stay still to hear clearly, in case you needed to run or attack immediately.  
  
The heavy steps still reverberate like gunshots in the complete silence of the forest, that seems to have grown still, but instead of coming closer to you, the footsteps only seem to distance themselves from where you were, going deeper and deeper inside the forest. In an adrenaline rush, you shove the rest of your things messily inside your bag, flinging it over your shoulder and carefully rising to your feet, you start to make your way as stealthily as possible towards the side of the cave near the brook, where a small path leads behind the cave. Your heart is pounding heavily in your chest and the adrenaline that courses through your veins only makes your breathing heavier by the passing second, as you carefully step on the slippery rocks of the bank of the brook, minding your steps the best you could. Finally, reaching the end of the brownish rock, you hide yourself in the corner and carefully peek from behind it.  
  
You are pretty amazed to find that behind the cave, there is actually a naturally formed path, with the trees arching above it proudly, shedding their shadow above the narrow path. If you hadn’t heard the noise, you wouldn’t even know that this place existed and to be honest, you doubted that the policemen knew as well. Still, the path leads further down inside the forest, inviting its visitors to walk on it and discover its wonders. And boy, what a wonder that appeared walking on it, towards the haunting shadows of the forest.  
  
You could barely believe your two own eyes as you gazed upon the narrow path, only to see a man walking in the opposite direction of where you were standing. He was tall and he was a man. It was pretty much obvious from his height that on a loose scale probably reached 5’ 9’ and the way he was walking, with his heavy steps landing hard against the hard soil underneath him. He was completely dressed in black, from tip to toe and from what you could guess, had his hands stuffed in the front pocket of his hoodie. His back was turned towards you as he walked, so it was impossible to see his face, or even be able to see it without getting noticed. Because somewhere deep inside of you, you knew that he meant trouble. It was strange enough to be inside the woods, particularly near a murder scene and not only that, but for a shady guy all dressed in black, it was totally not a coincidence. Something deep inside of you told you to be careful.  
  
But then again, you just couldn’t let go of the feeling that he had something to do with all of this. Probably at least. So ignoring all the alerts that had gone off inside your mind, you decide to follow him, just to satisfy your own curiosity in the end of the day.  
  
Following him with your gaze, you allow him to place a big, but controllable distance between you, before you leave the protection of your hiding spot, walking carefully towards the trunk of a nearby tree and hiding behind it, you peek from behind, making sure not to lose him from your eyes. He it still there, walking further down, completely oblivious to your presence, that you try to conceal with all your might, being something more than just careful on where you stepped on, in case you made any twig snap and give away your position and presence to the complete stranger. He though, appeared to be more familiar than you with the forest around him, being completely loosened up, as well as looking towards the sky every once in a while, as if he was expecting the skies to open up any second now.  
  
You silently mock the poor fella inside your mind as you continue to follow him close behind and hide, only to mentally curse yourself, when a loud thunder echoes high above you, making the ground shake under your feet. It was obvious that it was going to rain soon. How the hell did he know that?!  
  
You continue to follow him, but he appears to do nothing to trigger your curiosity and make him pose as a threat. You even managed at some point to take a picture of him with your phone, just to be sure that if he turns out to brutally murder you, you would give the police at least one hint on who did it.  
  
But it doesn’t escape your attention that the longer you continue to follow him, the deeper you are going inside the forest. Now, you are no longer near the cave, the serene and lovely scenery of the bright green bushes had long ago left you but instead, you are walking on a steep part of the forest, that was way more dangerous than the one you walked before, since slippery slopes are threatening to devour you and possibly kill you, if you take one wrong step and fall on their deadly embrace. Large bushes full of menacing thorns and trees with bare branches were covering everything around the narrow path, giving the place a feeling straight from a nightmare. It was clear that this part of the forest was not visited, let alone inhabited, so where the absolute hell was this guy going? But without a moment’s hesitation, the guy simply continued to follow the path only he could see, gently whistling to a song that strangely seemed familiar to you.  
  
At some point, it even started to rain.  
  
You cursed heavily under your breath, as you would be soaking wet in no time and the guy didn’t even seem of importance now to you. Following him, you had arrived on a steep hill, where he continued to walk on mindlessly. From your point of view though, you started to struggle, since the water made the soil under your feet slippery. You stopped for a little while, hidden behind a tree near a slope to catch your breath. Panting quite heavily, you open your bottle of pills and pop come inside your mouth, before turning to see if the guy had done anything.  
  
And to your complete surprise, he was gone! Puff! Vanished out of thin air!  
  
Your eyes open wide with surprise, but alas, you where in for a bigger surprise.  
  
Another thunder echoes and to your complete horror, strikes the tree right across from you, on the other side of the path. You gasp and take a step backwards, throwing your hand over your face to protect yourself, as you see the tall and dark tree be quick into catching fire. But you were reckless.  
  
The ground under your feet gives away, as you stood right on the edge of the slope. Your scream is caught inside your throat, as the last thing you see, is the ground where you were standing, distancing itself from you, as you fell…


	3. Chapter 3 The Girl Who Survived

‘So in fact, Criminology is not a moral exercise. We are not here to judge who is good and who is bad or place a moral opinion on matters at hand, but rather, we are here to study the causes of a crime. Why it happened, why it was committed there, why at that time, by who and etcetera. We are here to study the various forms a crime can take and especially, how the society reacts to said crime.’  
  
The whole classroom was oddly silent as the professor continued on with his lecture, pacing back and forth in front of the whiteboard, his hands extended outwards slightly and his clothes thrusting under his every move. The only sound that resonated around the small classroom was the voice of the professor, a bit more enthusiastic on the theme of the discussion than normal, and the scribbling the different pens did as they came in contact with the papers, since the students were focused on writing down every single detail that came out of the teacher, furiously writing what could be of help to them when the time for the exams came, no matter if it was just the very first lesson they had for this semester. The lesson itself though, was fairly interesting to say the least. The absolute silence that had spread over the classroom was the proof to that, as the professor was pleased with himself inside his own head for managing to keep his students attention at peak.  
  
Still, he was quite oblivious to the fact that many of the students that were sitting beside the large windows had started to drift off inside their own minds, starting to daydream about random things that could occupy their busy minds, as the warm rays of light fell on their colorful clothes, warming them up just enough for their brains to start wandering away from the class.  
  
It was an amazing day outside and the bright sun was shedding his light everywhere around, pushing away the few clouds that seemed to remain from the previous day, remnants of the brief storm that had hit the campus briefly, but still long enough to cause some problems with the students that returned from their homes. But everything now was more than just okay.  
  
You noted down the rest of the information the professor gave you, before he turned his back to all of you, starting to write some notes on the whiteboard behind him. You sigh lightly and look around you to the rest of your classmates. Sitting right in the center of the class, it was pretty easy to gaze at the majority of them, observing them mindlessly. All of them seemed to be happy and relaxed for reasons that you guessed were linked with their calm lives and some girls in the far corner were whispering silently at each other, giggling inaudibly every now and then. Who knows what were they talking about that caused them so much fun, still, it was refreshing to see that someone was having fun at least. Turning back to your notes, you start writing once again, but your eyes fall briefly into your bandaged left hand, your eyes twitching lightly at the faint pain that resonated inside your mind by this small action.  
  
After falling down that slope yesterday, you had immediately blacked out, only to wake up some hours later, your body completely drenched in the strong rain that fell hard from the skies above. It was as if hell had broken loose around you, with the strong lightings to split the sky in two, making you panic in where they would strike next and if you were their next target. Other than being completely soaked, your back and the back of your head were dirtied with plenty of mud, something that made you curse out loudly. Thankfully, the bag with your evidence and data was intact in some miraculous way and it appeared that the guy in black hadn’t discovered you after your fall or anyone else hadn’t for that matter. It was definitely a good thing, since no one wondering around in these parts of the forest was good news in any way. But, if all that weren’t enough, the moment you tried to grab your things with your left hand, you discovered the painful way, that you had sprained it somehow as you fell.  
  
Making your way back to the campus was easier than expected and with no ‘unfortunate’ incidents along the way. You cleaned yourself up and headed straight into the nurse’s office, only to confirm the bad shape of your hand. Luckily, it was enough to say some terrible excuse that you had fallen off the stairs and hurt your hand to have her convinced that this was the case. So today found you once again full of energy to search around. Thankfully, this was the only class you had in the morning, so after it was done, you had decided to pay a small visit to the library, in hopes that you would be able to pinpoint where Jenny was located. Easy right? Only time would clear that out.  
  
‘Can anyone specify to me, why we should focus so much on murder?’ the voice of the professor brought you back to reality, tuning your mind once again in the lesson in front of you.  
  
Your hand was accompanied by another hand from one of the girls that were laughing before. The professor nodded at her to speak and a wide smile spread on the girl’s face. She was surely really pretty, with long, curly blonde hair and a face that fitted to a real cheerleader, making you think about tons of pink stuff and a bubblegum.  
  
‘It’s because it’s the most frequent crime committed.’ She smiled, confident about her answer.  
  
The professor nodded ‘Not so much. Murder comes second in the scale, with assault being the leader on the world’s charts. Any other ideas?’  
  
This time, it was your turn ‘It’s because murder is widely regarded as the most serious form of violence and the most reliable measure of criminal violence. Many crimes are sometimes filed away, but this is not the case with homicides.’  
  
‘Interesting. But what do you mean with filing away cases?’ the professor asks.  
  
‘It is easier for the police to sometimes not give importance into cases of sexual assault in prostitutes or domestic violence cases, but it’s not that easy when you have a dead body in your hands.’ you simply say, shrugging.  
  
‘That’s right people. Thank you for the clarification miss..’  
  
‘(y/l)’ you say.  
  
‘Thank you miss (y/l). It is a clever way to put it but it is indeed-‘ the professor continued on with his lecture and you immediately started noting down, only to feel three pairs of eyes nailed on you. Looking up, you see the girl that spoke before you and her friends to look at you with not, what you would call, happy faces. Still, the only thing they receive was downright ignore from your side. B!tch alert at two o’ clock. You thought you had left those things back in high school. This was college for God’s sake.  
  
Pushing it in the very back of your mind, you decide that these things were of the slightest importance, so it was useless for you to ponder over them. The professor continued on with the lesson, but no matter the fact that your pen continued to write down all the information you were presented, your mind had already drifted away into the task you had to pull through next. You had decided last night that it would be a really good idea to try and track down Jenny, in hopes that she would be able to enlighten you in some way about how she survived the murderer and also, what had happened to Jack. Maybe she had seen him or what the killer did to him, but the fact that she was in a mental hospital might lessen your chances into getting a clear or reliable response from her. But, you wouldn’t lose anything if you just tried and who knows, maybe it will prove more useful than you think.  
  
With those thoughts inside your mind, you make your way to the most remote building on campus; the library. Pushing the doors of the three storey building aside, the overwhelming aroma of dust and old books immediately penetrates your senses, making you just breathe in deeply to savor the aroma for a little bit longer, before you start walking decisively on the worn out red carpet, following the aisles and leading yourself to the most remote desk you could find. All around you, the books were almost overflowing from the shelves, while a few students were already here, silently looking through the rich variety of books, in hopes to find that one particular book that would help them with their assignments.  
  
Leaving your stuff to your desk, you walk up to the librarian, asking her where you could find the newspaper section and in the next two minutes, you are already searching through the selves with the carefully arranged newspapers, looking for the date that Jack disappeared, muttering the dates to yourself, before your gaze lightens up and your delicate hand grabs the file that is titled ‘March 2011’, pulling it away from the rest. Smiling to yourself, you hold the file tightly against your chest, as you return to your desk, plopping yourself on the chair and placing the file in front of you, you open it and start searching for the day that Jack disappeared.  
  
The fact that you had to carefully turn the pages in order not to tear up anything only adds to your rising frustration as you try as fast as you can to locate the articles but not destroy anything in the process. Fate though, is quick to grand you your wish and with another turn in the pages, Jack’s face is visible in each and every one of the newspapers front pages, with the bold headlines almost screaming ‘College Student Goes Missing’, ‘Cultist Slaughter In Local College’ and ‘Girl Survives Cultist Mass Homicide.’ There it is, you smile to yourself, pulling out carefully the page that was flashing a picture of a cute girl with long brown hair in the front page. Looking at the girl closely, you can’t help but admit that she was really beautiful. Her long, medium brown curly hair were framing her face beautifully, cascading down her back gracefully. She had a pale complexion and a pair of wide (e/c) that were in the exact same shade as your own, making, as you realized, the two of you look somewhat alike. Looking away from the girl once her image settles down inside your mind, you focus your attention once more to the written text under her picture.  
  
Other than her basic info and family status, it said nothing else and the very same went for the next eight different newspapers you searched. Nothing, absolutely nothing was said about her current whereabouts or if she said anything when the police found her a step away from death. Well, what a total waste of time to look over the newspapers. But you had only one other alternative and that was, the internet. Placing everything back on its original place, you head up to the third floor, where you are happy to find somewhat new computers. Thankfully, the place is currently empty, so you can search with your leisure, as well as complete silence.  
  
Choosing one of the computers next to the window that was gazing upon the majestic forest, your delicate fingers gracefully fly over the keyboard, as you type away any keywords that would help you find a lead on Jenny. The results of the first search were pretty much what you already knew, but along with them, you found pictures of the crime scene that you had never seen before, as well as many more pictures of Jenny after the attack. The petite girl was clearly more than just shaken up, as in all of the photos you saw of her, she was looking intensely at the ground, hiding away her face from the camera and the journalists, while the remnants of all the sh!t she had gone through were still evident in all the places where her skin was showing. In the pictures of her that were taken immediately after the murders, your gaze froze when you saw her heavily bruised, almost taken out, eye and her cut from side to side lip. You were pretty positive that many of the marks she took that day would stick around with her forever, grim reminders of the hell she went through. Though, in the very few pictures that she was actually looking at the camera, she appeared to have a really strange dark glow in her eyes, which somewhat unnerved you for no reason. Your instincts were alerting you that there were much more to what met the eye with this girl, you just couldn’t wrap your finger around what it was yet.  
  
Yet. But it was f*cking there, you could absolutely see it.  
  
It was not until you searched for the third time, seemingly yielding no results that you noticed one tinny tiny detail, just a very small sentence that was finally shedding some light to your search, the exact moment when you had decided to call it a day. It was a random newspaper from some other town that was talking about the incident and the complete lack of evidence that the police had, until your eyes fell on the mention of Jenny’s name and another three words beside it ‘ _hospitalized in St. Dymphna.’_. That’s it! Your very first clue!  
Smiling slyly to yourself, you open another tab and type away the name of the asylum on the search engine. Immediately, the results pop up and you click on the very first one, leading you to the asylums home page. Passing the info about the asylum and the accommodations that it gives, you click on the ‘contact’ button, which leads you to an address and a phone number.  
  
_23 rd Radisson St. and N. Irwin Ave, Norfolk Virginia._  
  
That was a nine hour ride with the car to get there from where you are. I guess her parents wanted to get her as far away from the college as possible huh? Well, it would be a really nice trip and you would get the chance to visit Norfolk. Noting down the address and the phone number, you turn the computer off and collect your stuff, almost singing to yourself from your happiness. You are just hoping –begging really- for her to be able to give you any kind of useful information. It would be a great lead on your investigation and it would definitely bring you one step closer to finding out what had happened to Jack. You were also hoping that the black-dressed man that you had run into yesterday was nothing more than just a random dude wandering inside the forest, no matter how much your instincts screamed that this would be highly impossible.  
  
Making your way out of the library, you walk mindlessly towards your dormitories to grab the books needed for you late afternoon class. Being very careful to hold your stuff with your good hand, you are pondering over the rich variety of information that you have gathered and corrected. They were many and something was telling you that you were on the right track to find out the truth, you just had to remain there to able to accomplish it. The only tasks at hand that you had right now was talking to Jenny and seeing if you could get any info and then searching the inside of that cave and maybe the road you had followed when you stumbled upon the strange man. You highly doubted that it lead anywhere, but it was better to be safe than sorry. You prayed though that you wouldn’t run to him once again, because who knows what might happen then. And surely, you don’t really think he will be up for much talking.  
  
Deep as you were in thought, you were unable to sense a presence looming behind you. The next thing you know, someone has already grabbed you hard, throwing you over his shoulder and yelling:  
  
‘Tackling at eight o’ clock!!!’ an all too familiar voice shouts.  
  
From your surprise, your breath and scream were caught up inside your lungs, as your eyes popped opened full of terror, thinking that the guy from the cave had finally grabbed you when you weren’t looking. Your things slide from your hands and fall to the floor hard, as the guy continues to walk down the sidewalk. Turning your head towards him ready to fight your way out of his tight grip, you recognize almost immediately a familiar blonde mane and the dark shade of the man’s skin, so when the voice of a girl sounds, she just reassures your realization.  
  
‘Geez Greg, you are going to give her a heart attack.’ You can literally hear her rolling her eyes.  
  
‘Nah, sugar is tougher than just that. Aren’t you _____?’ he laughs as you let out a deep sigh.  
  
‘Greg, put me down please.’ You quietly say.  
  
‘Dude, you made her drop her things.’ Another male voice booms ‘If it was me I’d kill ya.’  
  
‘Ooops, sorry ‘bout that sugar.’ Greg apologizes as he finally let you down and you see another blonde girl pick your dropped stuff up, walking up to you with a smug smile.  
  
‘Here you go sweetheart. Don’t mind this jack#ss.’ She gives you a smile ‘I’m Samantha, but you can call me Sam.’ She says as you take your things, muttering a neutral ‘thanks’ in return.  
  
[Samantha](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/89/50/44/8950443d09da339efcf6620df92dacfe.jpg) was the typical tomboyish American girl. She had long, lightly wavy yellow blonde hair and an extremely beautiful face that graced two bright blue eyes and a pair of full lips. She was rather slim but with some muscles, though, a little bit shorter from you, just an inch or two, while she was dressed in a simple pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt, which highlighted gracefully her wheat colored skin. She gave you another bright smile, before she yanked Greg in the head, who winced in pain.  
  
‘Everyone, this is _____.’ Greg yelled happily to someone in the distance and turning, you saw a red headed girl coming your way, followed by a tall boy.  
  
‘So she is Jack’s girl?’ Sam gives you a large grin, placing her hands on her waist ‘I’ve got to tell you, he had some fiiiine taste.’ Her little comment makes you tighten up immediately.  
  
‘You guys knew Jack as well?’ you question them, your recording abilities starting to absorb the impending info of the newcomers. Greg hadn’t mentioned any other friends of Jack and certainly, nor did Jack.  
  
‘All of us except Gabby here knew him.’ the tall boy comments with a smile, raising his hand towards you in a handshake ‘I’m [Gale](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcThDUkH7ibfsOzIxIuW9kp4K2LXBVq2-h2FAqP8UnPMgJ6mxT6c).’   
  
Shaking it back in a careful gesture, you have just a few seconds of time to study him. He was tall, taller than both Greg and Jack, standing at maybe 6’ 0’ with short, light brown hair that were in casual disarray. He was well built, with his muscles able to be seen under his white t-shirt and jean jacket. His eyes were in a luxurious shade of green, in total contrast to his naturally white skin tone. You noticed that as you withdrew your hand, his eyes stayed on you for a little bit longer, something that triggered the mechanisms inside your mind, filing him immediately into the ‘to watch’ list. If he had something to do with all of this, you knew not, but still…  
  
Before you had the chance to turn to the other girl, a sea of red hair penetrated your field of vision, as two hands wrapped tightly around your back, knocking the air out of your lungs and leaving you unsure of what you should do, as the girl was hugging you so tightly, that it took you by surprise. But before you were able to open your mouth and ask her anything, she cut you off.  
  
‘I’m so sorry for what happened to Jack. It must have been really hard for you sweetie. We’re all here for you, so if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.’ Her soft, girly voice says, as she pulls back to look at you, with the most astonishing deep blue eyes you had ever seen, grabbing you softly by your shoulders. She was pretty much in the same height as you, with dyed red hair and such a white skin, that she could be easily mistaken as a ghost. She was wearing a beautiful pink summer dress and smiled kindly to you ‘I’m [Gabby](http://www.dontpaniconline.com/media/magazine/body/2013-07-20/images/tumblr_mpns4vcbG01sol6zho1_500.jpg), Greg’s girlfriend.’  
  
You wanted to respond to her, to thank her for being the very first person to actually hug you in so many years, but all your words drowned inside your mind, as all you could do was stare blankly back at her, not even able to smile. It was really, really hard for you to act nicely around people; no one but Jack had ever talked to you kindly and friendly, all the others were just bossing you around or yelling at you, with the only exception –other than Jack- being your grandmother. So it was only natural for you to expect the same behavior from pretty much everyone, so acts of kindness such like this one, left you numb and unable to think, no matter how much you wanted to thank that person for doing so…but you just….couldn’t.  
  
Silence crept its way among all five of you as Gabby patiently waited for your response, her smile only widening and reflecting her innocent and sheer kind character as everyone else was waiting for you as well. So the silence was awkward…. _waaaaaay_ awkward.  
  
‘I think you broke her Gabby.’ Sam chuckles as she passes her hand over your shoulder, with Gabby laughing as well.  
  
‘How about we treat you to some coffee?’ she suggests.  
  
You nod ‘T-this sounds nice.’  
  
With Sam continuing to have her hand over your shoulder, Gabby grabs your hand and all of you set off for the cafeteria, with the boys following close behind you. For some strange reason, their high spirits and funny remarks on the way to the cafeteria made you feel a lot better and somewhat light hearted. You knew that you had decided to not hang out with anyone here, since pretty much everyone was a suspect to your eyes, but now that you found yourself among them –and especially among Jack’s friends- you somehow felt at peace and worry-free.  
  
‘So _____, you are searching Jack’s case is that right?’ Gale smirks to you, while playfully shoving Greg out of the way.  
  
You nod ‘Yeah, I guess. I really want to know what happened to him.’ you reply, not giving away any information on your findings.  
  
‘Jack was an amazing dude. Too silent and observant for his own good, but he was funny when you got to know him.’ Sam comments from beside you.  
  
‘Tell me about it.’ Greg interferes ‘One time, he and Gale over here snuck up to me when I was sleeping and carried me along with my covers out of the dorms, leaving me to sleep under a tree outside. Imagine the horror when I woke up.’  
  
‘That sounds awful.’ You comment kindly.  
  
‘Not as when we put henna on his shampoo and he came out with green hair. Totally worth it.’ Gale laughed.  
  
‘Hey, I dare you to walk around campus with green hair for a month.’ Greg fights back.  
  
All of them laugh and for the first time, you can’t hold back a chuckle at the thought of the buildup man walking around with neon green hair. But as you do, Sam gasps and looks at you wide-eyed.  
  
‘Aaaaand we have a smile ladies and gentlemen.’ She laughs along with the others that cheer happily at your faintly smiling face.  
  
‘Jack was always talking about you _____. So we’re all kind of happy to finally meet you.’ Sam flashes you the peace sign, laughing.  
  
‘We can help you out with your investigation if you want to. We know a lot of people in the campus.’ Gabby smiles.  
  
‘Yeah, like those b!tches today at class, when you made a fool of them.’ Sam pumps her fists in the air ‘They’ll be coming for you I tell you. I was sitting right behind them and I saw the looks they threw at you.’  
  
‘Then let them come. I haven’t beaten someone up in a long time.’ Gabby gives a devious smile.  
  
‘Tell me about it.’ You agree with her and the three of you laugh.  
  
‘But one thing is for sure ______.’ Gale winks at you ‘Jack was right when he said you looked gorgeous.’  
  
In this particular comment, you feel your heart fasten its beat, but once again, not in the right way. The red that you expected to spread around on your cheeks never came, and instead, you saw Greg shove and grab Gale under his shoulder grip, messing his brown hair mercilessly.  
  
‘Back off Gale, she is Jack’s.’  
  
‘Boys.’ Gabby rolls her eyes as you finally reach the cafeteria.  
  
  


**~*~**

  
  
  
You spend the rest of the evening with Greg and Jack’s gang. All of them were really good people as it appeared to you, trying their best to make you laugh with all the terrible puns there were –like the knock-knock pun with Doctor Who- , but also with stories of pranks they pulled to one another. It was very easy for you to picture Jack standing among them and telling the stories along, with his blue eyes glowing with excitement and happiness, but Jack wasn’t there anymore. The girls were amazing as well and as they told you, they were roommates in one of the rooms a little bit further from yours. Before you had even realized it, you were having fun for the very first time since Jack disappeared. All of them were open on helping you out if you ever needed help and no matter your kind refusals that you didn’t really need any help, they decided among themselves to go on an investigation for you, by asking the professors along the campus if they had seen anything back then.  
  
So when you finally returned to your room, you were both light hearted and tired. Deciding to skip the shower for the morning, you change to your pajamas and popping some pills on your mouth, you finally lay down to your comfortable bed, thinking of Jack and finding yourself asleep, before you had even realized it.  
  
 _You were standing inside the complete darkness. There was no ceiling, no floor under your bare feet, no horizon to look towards or even a small ray of light to illuminate the place up for you. There was nothing. It was only when you looked down on your feet, that you realized that, where you were touching the supposed floor, there were small light marks, as well as that you were wearing your pajamas. Thrilled with the fact that there was even a small source of light, you started wandering around in the complete darkness. Your footsteps were illuminated behind you and only disappeared after a short while._  
  
 _For some unexplained reason, the darkness was calming you down. Like, when you were inside of it, you would be completely safe, utterly secured by your previous life. And it was rather peculiar. You knew it was peculiar. You shouldn’t be feeling like that, especially when you didn’t know if you were alone or even truly safe, but it impacted on you like it was your little, private sanctuary. Taking deep breaths, you allowed the cold air to penetrate your lungs, emptying your mind from all the troubles and allowing you to relax. Oh, how you loathed the feeling of calmness. It was so rare for you and came a very few times after Jack disappeared._  
  
 _Then, as you walked, you slowly started to see yourself walking towards you. Well it wasn’t another you, but just your reflection that was on a dark surface. You turned your head slightly to the side, with your eyes narrowing examining your reflection and the space surrounding it. It was as if the darkness had leaded you in front of an enormous mirror. You looked at it questionably and your reflection shot the gaze back at you with the same curiosity. Her bright (e/c) orbs were reflecting what she felt deep inside, something that was only seen by you and could only be seen by you. Pain, desperation, heartbroken, numbness…..torn apart…._  
  
 _Suddenly, you see tears cascading your reflection’s eyes and her face alters into a pure mask of pain. Suddenly, it wasn’t your 19-year old self, but your 8 year old self, wearing a little pink dress with patterned white hibiscus flowers and holding on to your favorite teddy[bear](http://www.arenaflowers.com/product_image/large/1259-cuddly_teddy_bear.jpg)_ _your father gave you, for dear life. To your utter horror though, she wasn’t alone. Right next to her, was Jake, standing silently by her, with the upper side of his face completely covered by the shadows. He offers his hand to the little you and when she gives him hers, he starts taking her away._  
  
 _‘NO!!!’ you scream, tears rolling silently from your eyes ‘DON’T GO WITH HIM!!!’you throw your punch against the mirror surface._  
  
 _There is a large cracking noise and your eyes open wide with surprise when you see large mirror parts falling off the surface and bright light penetrating through the cracks. Your feet move against your will and back away from the mirror, as you see the cracks becoming larger and larger, until they create an enormous white O with a huge X crossing it in the middle. You back away, as terror overwhelms your very soul, as the cracks continue to expand and pieces of the mirror crashing hard around you; but your eyes are only nailed on the grim symbol._  
  
 _You open your mouth._  
  
 _And you scream._  
  
Breathlessly, you pop up in your bed. The darkness welcomes you and you desperately search for the light switch on the wall, blinding yourself when your fingers click the switch. As your eyes adjust once again, you find yourself on your room in the campus, safe and sound.  
  
It was just a nightmare. Only a nightmare.


	4. Chapter 4 The Song Of The Nightingale

The next morning found you restless and tired all at the same time. After the terrible dream you had seen last night, you found yourself unable to get back to sleep like a normal human being and the few times you had managed to fall asleep, Jack’s face would haunt your mind, screaming at you so loud, that you would jump up in bed screaming at the top of your lungs as well and then spending the rest of your time curled up in a ball and crying. So when the rich sunlight started pouring through the curtains of your room, you stood up and went about your morning routine. Thankfully, today you only had afternoon classes, so you would be able to go around with your investigation a little bit more. You pulled your [clothes](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=158130370) on and grabbed your bag, making sure that you had taken along with you everything you might be needing, since you were once again going back at the cave to check the interior for any possible clues.  
  
You sincerely hoped that it would provide you with any new leads but you prayed as well that you wouldn’t run into that man again, just to be able to check everything you needed with your leisure and not worry about whether or not you would be chased. Yet, when you were done with everything else in general, you would try to figure out who that was and if he had something to do with the murders and the disappearance, since he was lurking around the cave and your guts said that there were more to him that met the eye.  
  
Going out of your room and locking the door, you immediately notice that the whole place is buzzing up happily with the loud voices of the rest of the residents, who were walking up and down the place, others running to get to their classes before it’s too late and others just gossiping away. Lowering your head and focusing on locking the door behind you, you try not to pull anyone’s attention, but this time, luck was definitely not with your side.  
  
‘Hey you!’ you hear a bubbly voice say and turning your head a little bit, you see the three girls that you had on your class walk up to you, the girl that appeared to be the leader, walking a step forward from the others.  
  
‘You are the creep that corrected me in Criminology yesterday right?’ the girl that was the leader spits out towards you, her baby blue eyes narrowing on your apathetic frame. It was too early for this sh!t and honestly, it was too much of a bother to even form a response for them. They wouldn’t even understand it anyway.  
  
‘So say something b!tch, Helena spoke to you!’ the brown haired girl snaps at you.  
  
‘I didn’t correct anyone, I just stated my opinion. Nothing more, nothing else.’ You say evenly, only for the sake of being left alone at last.  
  
‘Oh really?’ Helena scoffs and pushes your shoulder with her hand ‘Just cause you got in here with a scholarship, you think you’re the f*cking brains or something?! Well guess what freak, you’re not.’  
  
‘And you must understand that this is no longer high-school. You don’t get around bullying and doing sh!t to people, so touch me once more and I’ll cut your hand off.’ You threaten her, your voice low and menacing as you look at her dead in the eye. F*cking brainless c*nts.  
  
‘I would like to see you try!’ she laughs at your face ‘Then I’m sure you’ll end up like that circus-freak you are looking for! Everyone around the campus knows that you were his little b!tch.’ she laughs, folding her hands over her chest, as if she had just nailed you with her clever comment.  
  
You barely have time to open your mouth, as a yell sounds, coming from behind you.  
  
‘Hey, Helen-b!tch, leave her alone before I smash your plastic surgery nose against the window.’ Turning, you see Sam and Gabby walking towards you fast, both of their faces fallen on serious expressions, as Sam cracked her knuckles, trying to intimidate the three girls that were bullying you.  
  
‘It’s okay Sam, I got this.’ you only respond to the girl as she approaches.  
  
‘Oh really? What are you going to do b!tch?’ Helena scoffs.  
  
‘This.’  
  
Before either she or her friends have time to process what was happening, your knuckles had already formed a strong punch, that was catapulted from your point and landed straight into the blonde girl’s face with such power, that you immediately feel a blunt pain shot up from your hand and blood paint your skin, blood that didn’t belong to you though. You see the girl’s eyes pop open with surprise, as she takes a few steps back, allowing her friends to hold her, as her hands fly to cover her bleeding nose, with the blood streaming down non-stop and her screaming at its sight. But you couldn’t care less. In fact, you wanted to punch her even harder, punch her until she was unconscious for even daring to speak like that about Jack. She could say anything, anything about you, but not for Jack. In the sound of her mean words about your best friend, anger had shot up inside your body, resonating straight from your heart, which pumped the black substance of anger through your veins and adrenalized you so much, that you wanted to continue punching the girl until she apologized. Maybe not even then. How dare this b!tch talk sh!t about Jack? You’ll send her back to her house unrecognizable if she tries anything like that again.  
  
‘Way to go girl!’ Sam cheers from right beside you ‘In yo’ face sl*t.’ she yells to the still shocked girls and grabbing you from the arm, the three of you immediately go outside, not wanting to have another re-match with the other three, leaving them to pick up their punched friend.  
  
‘It looks like we didn’t have to intervene at all.’ Gabby smiles from right beside you as the three of you walk to the sidewalk out of your dormitories.  
  
‘You really have it in you girl.’ Sam laughs and fist pumps the air in front of her imitating your punch against the bitchy girl.  
  
In response, you just shrug ‘I don’t take sh!t about Jack from anyone, much less from the likes of them. I’m sorry that you had to see that, but I couldn’t contain myself.’  
  
‘Don’t apologize girl, you did what was right and we got your back! I also hold a grudge against the b!tch and her dogs for messing with my assignment once.’ Sam shrugs and looks deep into your eyes, a devious smirk dancing on the edges of her lips ‘So where are you heading to?’  
  
‘I’m going to look around a little bit on the cave where the murders happened. I need to see if I can find out any clues.’  
  
‘It’s dangerous to go alone there ______. Are you sure you want to go alone? We can come as well.’ Gabby exclaims, worry lacing her voice and her beautiful eyes, but you only give her a small reassuring smile.  
  
‘It’s okay, I don’t have to spend too much time there, so I’ll be back in no time. You can come over to my place when I’m back.’ You offer.  
  
‘Well, Greg said that he wants to speak with you, so once you are back we’ll be waiting right here for you.’ Gabby says ‘If you insist on going, at least call us if anything comes up and please be careful.’  
  
‘Don’t worry yourself too much Gabby.’ You smile at her ‘Nothing is going to happen.’  
  
  


_**~*~** _

  
  
  
And with those words, you left the girls behind and walked over to the forest premises, quickly walking among the tall and dark trees and in a matter of minutes, losing the dorms and the people from your sight. The sky above your head was heavily covered by a thick layer of grey clouds, making the whole place around you smell like water and humidity, as Nature was preparing itself for the upcoming rain that would be quick to cascade down to earth. The tall, green trees were almost completely submerged under the thick shadows, giving the whole place a nightmarish aura, making you turn and look behind you every once in a while, since the whole landscape made your heart tighten inside your chest and a nasty feeling spread on your chest, like something bad was about to happen, you just didn’t know what it was for now. You just hoped though, that you would be in the safety of your own room if disaster decided to strike.  
  
The walk towards the cave didn’t take so long this time around. You found yourself passing through the plants that covered the entrance of the cave, only to enter the vast interior, gazing around you with wide eyes, taking in the vast space that arced well above you. The walls of the cave were soothed and appeared as if they were soft in the touch, as well as forming natural selves every now and then, that still had remains of melted candles in them, indicating the decorations with which they were graced four years ago. The whole place was submerged in a humid darkness, so sighing to yourself, you took out your flashlight and turned it on, illuminating the space around you, as you set your phone on te video recording.  
  
‘This is (y/n) (l/n), I am inside the cave that is located near the campus. The time is 11:45 and the date is (d)-(m)-(y). I am investigating in order to find any clues that were left behind. For now, I can only say that the front of the cave is pretty sizeable and it would make a great hiding spot, but for now, no traces of any possible inhabitants are found. I shall search more.’  
  
Keeping the video on, you went about the rest of the cave, searching closely for any clues that might help you or reveal something of importance and checking the photos of the cave that the police had taken so many years ago. It appeared that there weren’t any disturbances lately and the place had been abandoned for the last four years or so, yet some of the stuff that were here when the group of friends visited it were still lingering along the place, with some herbology books rotting away in a corner and some pots and pans resting on the selves, a thick layer of dust covering them completely. It was clearer than the vast sky that the place was left on its own and no one ever cared to clean up the rest of the stuff. You were disgusted a little bit as you searched through the mold-covered books, finding nothing out of the ordinary, or at least finding nothing on the pages that were actually readable, avoiding the mold with everything they had. The victims were pretty much using the whole place as a hang-out spot, so there weren’t any stuff to see that existed out of the pictures the police had taken.  
  
So in the end of the day, it was a complete waste of time coming here.  
  
Turning the video off, you take some pictures of the room around you and exit the cave, inhaling the clean and fresh air deeply and looking at your clock. It was only two in the afternoon. You still had time on your hands, so averting your gaze towards the side of the cave, you decide that the faster you check the path that you had seen the guy walk to, the faster you would cover that one as well and you would never have to come back to this place, something that was completely fine with you. The less you were out in the open, the less in danger you put yourself into.  
  
So carefully making your way beside the brook, you slip carefully behind the cave and start walking on the naturally formed path, adjusting your backpack a little bit better on your back as you walk. Your careful gaze scans the luxurious green flora around you, trying to spot any possible threats before it was too late, but thankfully, there was no one to be seen or heard of, something that made you relax considerably. With your steps landing hard against the cold soil, you allowed yourself to venture deeper and deeper inside the forest, looking around you, a little bit amazed by the scenery. Everything was so relaxing and giving off a peaceful hue that had an immediate impact on your heart, relaxing the desperate heartbeat without the need of medication, something that you felt glad about. It was good not to need medication all the time, so the pacifying effect of Nature was welcomed with sheer gratitude from your side.  
  
Allowing your thoughts to calm down and drift away, you shortly after found them revolving around none other than Jack. It was such an advantage that you had found out where Jenny was, so tomorrow, you were going to pay her a short visit, in hopes that she would be able to shed some light in this situation and lead you to find some traces of what happened to Jack. It was a long shot yes, but it was the only lead you had and you were going to reach no ends to fully use it. You couldn’t help but hope, deep down inside your broken heart, that you were indeed going to find Jack living in some random city away from here, all safe and sound and hopefully not in a body bag. You knew that in the possibility that he was dead, you wouldn’t be able to take it. You just wouldn’t… So call you an optimist, but no matter the slim chances, you hoped with all the power your very soul held, that he was alive and well, living somewhere far away from here, having left the nightmare behind him. But if he did, why hadn’t he contacted you?  
  
And as all those thoughts pestered your mind, you finally reached the very end of the path you were walking on, passing the spot where you fell and the tree was stricken by the lightning, only to find yourself on the edge of a huge slope. The rest of the forest was reaching as far as the eye could see on the very bottom of the cliff, which was too slippery for anyone to be able to walk or even slide it without dying. Also, there were no other paths that led around it so there was only one way to go; downwards. Like hell you would though. So how exactly did the man manage to disappear? You spend a good amount of your time trying to find out any possible hidden paths that were safer, but there were none. What the hell was going on? Where the hell did that man disappear?  
  
As your confused gaze pondered over the strange facts a little bit, a loud thunder echoed in the distance, shaking the very ground you were standing upon. Perking your head up, you immediately spotted the dangerous dark clouds that were fastening upon the land fast and you knew that a storm was on its way; you had to return to the campus immediately. Signing to yourself wearily, you turn and start walking among the trees once again. Well that was another complete waste of time, you gave yourself a pouting face. It was as if the man had literally evaporated, because there was no chance that he went down the slippery slope and didn’t in fact die, something that only an idiot would do. Anyway, with that out of the way, you were finally done with the forest, so onwards to your next mission!  
  
The chilling air that rose suddenly as you walked among the dark trees, made you wrap your hands protectively against your skin and regret the decision of not taking a coat with you. You could clearly feel the bottle of pills inside your pants pocket leaning against you, a silent companion and the only one that ensured your well-being. You didn’t fail to notice that for a strange reason, the whole forest had grown suddenly silent; there was not a single sound coming from anywhere, except from the suddenly stronger breeze. You absolutely hated total silence with a strong passion. It was in those quiet moments that you felt yourself slip away towards sadness. And this was one of those times. So you did what you always did, since you were alone inside these woods.  
  
You take a deep breath.  
  
And you open your mouth.  
  
 _‘Ni oka da sklopim, postelja prazna tera san, a život se topi, I nestaje brzo, k’o dlanom o dlan. K’o razum da gubim, jer stvarnost I ne primećujem, još uvek te ljubim, još uvek ti slepo verujem. K’o luda, ne znam kuda, ljubavi se nove bojim, a dane, žive rane, više ne brojim...’_  
  
Your voice echoed in the empty forest, sounding loudly among the trees and the empty spaces of air, filling the cold breeze with your heaven-like voice. Since you were little, your father used to teach you various songs and how to sing and this [particular one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HFxeZXt74E) was his favorite among all. You were just five years old when he suddenly got sick and never recovered. So, when you were alone or with Jack and you where sure no one was listening, you always sang this particular song to calm down.  
  
‘ _Molitva, kao žar na mojim usnama je, molitva, mesto reči samo ime tvoje. Nebo zna, kao ja, koliko puta sam ponovila, to nebo zna, baš kao ja, da je ime tvoje moja jedina…_  
Molitva.’  


_**~*~** _

  
It was yet, another productive morning.  
  
The supplies on organs had started running dangerously low and the need to refill them was becoming mandatory by the passing seconds, as the organ eating killer, going by the name Eyeless Jack had gone out that night in search for some nice targets to kill. Luck was so much in favor of him that night that even the eyeless killer was surprised by it, since sneaking into only two family houses, he found them full of people that were sleeping heavily, completely ignorant to what destiny beheld for them. The killer made sure that he was quieter than ever, as he slipped totally unnoticed into their bedrooms and using some anesthetic, removed the organs of his choice without being interrupted at all.  
  
It indeed was his lucky day, as his jars filled way more than he would have first thought. Jeff would be amazed this time by the sheer amount of jars Jack managed to fill. And not only that, but the victims that would be lucky enough to survive him, would notice later that day, when he was already far away, that something in them was amiss. Then they would find out that he, the organ eating killer, paid them a visit that night. In the thought of their terrified faces, an evil grin made its way on the killer’s face, completely hidden from the outside world thanks to his navy-blue mask, with the lack of any characteristics, if you excluded the empty eye sockets that dripped a black substance, like tears.  
  
It was a very productive day.  
  
Even if he had filled his need in organs, the peaceful way that he acquired them had left an uneasy feeling inside his cold chest, as the insanity that was pumping through his veins made him crave for a nice throat to slash open, or to rip out some freshly found organs. What could he do? That was the way insanity worked, even at a rather calm killer such as himself. He knew other Creepypasta inside the house would be able to kill a considerable amount of people when insanity stroke them like that, but for a cold-blooded and collected killer like himself, only one victim would be fairly enough, as he was more efficient than greedy. And so, luck blessed him once again.  
  
It was already morning when he was making his way through the forest, walking among the tall pine trees and carrying all the supplies he had managed to gather, when inside the green bushes he located a camper’s tent. It was almost covered by the leaves, giving it a camouflaging effect which the killer’s senses discovered immediately before even his empty stare fell on them. He couldn’t exactly see it, but his mind provided him with something along the lines of seeing, that was as sharp as the rest of his killer senses. Smirking insanely under his blue mask, he proceeded with caution to leave aside his bag full of jars, in a place where it wouldn’t be found out and with movements ever-so-light, he proceeded to draw closer and closer to the tent. People always come here this time of the year to hunt or camp, since a local college was located close by, so they provide an easy prey.  
  
Shoving his hand in his pocket, he draws out his best scalpel, holding it tightly in his right hand, as he was now right behind the tent. Not a single sound was heard as he approached, giving him the advantage of total surprise. But when he stayed silent to listen to the human’s breath, he was puzzled to discover that there was nothing…  
  
This is unexpected…  
  
Steps were heard approaching him from behind. Under them, the fallen leaves broke and crunched, betraying that someone was closing up and the possibility of EJ being exposed was highly likely. The eyeless killer slipped towards the rich bushes on his right, passing the small tent and hiding himself skillfully behind the large trunk of a nearby tree, making himself completely concealed by the approaching human.  
  
His sharp senses didn’t betray him still.  
  
Without the need to peek from the tree, he was able to locate key-points of his sudden opponent. From his heavy steps it was obvious that he was a male, wearing heavy hunting-boots and so, that meant that he was the owner of the tent. Also, he reeked of the heavy smell of cigarettes, while his loud cough indicated that he was a heavy smoker, probably around his late forties, since it takes time to make your lungs fail so miserably by smoking, thus his lungs were out of the question of being eaten. Relying on his sense of hearing, EJ was able to hear the heart of the full-grown man beating inside his chest heavily, as he was approaching the tent. It was pounding loud and clear, betraying all the movements the male did near his tent. He walked up to it, unzipped the entrance door forcefully and threw his shotgun inside, continuing to stretch his limps, groaning loudly and making them pop.  
  
This reminded EJ of a certain Proxy.  
  
Walking silently, with movements equal to a cat’s, he circled the tree trunk once again, scalpel at hand and peeked from the sides.  
  
Indeed, the man was standing right in front of his tent, standing at a height of 6’ 4’with grey hair and full-built body, he wasn’t too much out of EJ’s league that stood at the proud height of 5’ 10’; the killer just had to use the element of surprise to take him down. In the years of experience inside the Creepypasta household, this was a piece of cake for him.  
  
Walking stealthily behind the man, the moment he stretches his hands in the air to relax them also, the eyeless killer snatches the opportunity that is presented to him. Grabbing the man’s mouth and preventing him from screaming, he can clearly feel the surprise penetrating the large man, as he skillfully slides his scalpel on his neck, tearing it open from side to side, completely cutting the esophagus and larynx. The man was unable, even to process what had happened to him, as the lavish blood came gashing out of his throat, drowning him, as the clear, precise cut was too deep to be mended. He fell on his knees, letting out a desperate mumble for help, as his eyes became cloudier and cloudier, until all life abandoned him and his body fell limply on the right side.  
  
Jack walked up to the man, kneeling beside him with a hidden sly smile on his face, turning the man so that his chest was looking up. He smelled of lemons, but not the bitter smell, the sweet flowery one, making EJ’s mouth water. He proceeded to cut off his hunting jacket and clothes underneath, opening him up and proceeding to sink his hand inside the guy’s chest, reaching out for his most favorite organs. Pulling his mask up, just enough to reveal his mouth, the killer flashed a dangerous grin, revealing his shark- razor sharp teeth, as he took the first bite off his favorite organ. Gobbling it down with large bites, he proceeded to lick his bloodied fingers, before he stuck them back in, in search for the rest of the other organs.  
  
He ate, until the body was completely emptied and his stomach was full. He was just taking the last bites off the heart when a sudden strong wind arose. Paying no importance to it, he proceeded with the next bite. But what he heard next, made him freeze up, like a deer in bright headlights.  
  
Inside the clear, as the water of a lake, wind, there was a voice. A sweet, barely above a whisper voice, singing lightly at a song he had never heard of. The voice was light, sweet and ethereal, almost as if an angel had descended the heavens and blessed the wind with her voice. She sang lightly, her voice being carried away by the wind and reverberating on the rough surfaces of the trees, almost soothing them, almost…..as if it was taking away all the roughness of the world…. all the cruelty and misfortune that it was bestowed upon it… Like God himself had decided to relieve his creations from the sins and tortures they had on their shoulders and send one of His beloved angels to take away whatever polluted their souls.  
  
And right at that moment, EJ knew that the angel was sent for this particular reason.  
  
It was because he _felt_ it. Lightly, as the gentle touch of a feather, the silvery and cold mist that had became part of himself and his own being, a constant companion inside his mind from the very moment he was able to remember himself, started to withdraw. It started to withdraw away, leaving his mind clear and, if he was ever allowed to say, more sane than before. Eyeless Jack had grown accustomed to the constant presence of the insanity inside his mind. It may not be like a burning fire for blood as it was for some of the other Creeps, but it was like cold water, a penetrating cold mist that had blurred his senses and drove him, like a powerful master and he, just a puppet on its lethal grasp, as it danced him on its palm making him crave blood and murder more and more with the passing seconds. But not now.  
  
His head perked up and turned, desperately looking for the source of the heavenly voice.  
  
And then his empty eye sockets located a girl.  
  
She was walking many feet away, on the large path among the trees that lead outside the forest and towards the college campus. From what he could see, she had (h/l) (h/c) hair and (s/c) skin, that seemed paler than normal. Her height was average for her age and she appeared just around nineteen years old. She was wearing casual clothes a size bigger than her actual size, leading them to be baggy around her hands and waist and she carried along with her a backpack. It was peculiar for such an ordinary looking girl to possess such a heavenly voice.  
  
But as EJ’s head cocked to the side, observing the girl, his insanity kicked back in and the hunter’s instincts took over once again. What if she saw him? Shouldn’t she have screamed up until now? What if she suddenly turned and saw him, with his mouth still dripping of blood and the half eaten heart at hand?  
  
He had to make sure she wouldn’t pose a threat.  
  
Tossing the heart aside, he started walking carefully towards the end of the trees, his empty gaze nailed on the oblivious girl, walking towards her, making no sound at all. As he drew closer and closer, her voice sounded louder and louder by the closing proximity, making his insanity completely withdraw from his mind, but sticking with his hunter instincts, he stalked the unsuspecting girl more and more. Before he even knew it, he was walking right beside the path. Drawing out his scalpel and placing his mask back down, hiding his face completely, he walked stealthily out in the path, walking behind the girl that was unable to see her impending death and thus continued to sing. She was an average girl, with only one peculiar thing on her.  
  
Her heart.  
  
There was something terribly wrong going on with her heart. It was beating rather unevenly, suffering from a heavy arrhythmia, that the specialized in medicine killer was unable to understand from where it came from. In her young age, her heart should beat stronger and louder even from the man EJ killed before. But no. The heart that existed now in front of him, had something wrong on her mechanism. It was weak and faint, as if it was about to fail at any given moment.  
  
Before EJ even realized, he was staring intensely at the girl, not moving a single muscle.  
  
At first she didn’t seem to notice, but at some point, her feet came to a sudden stop and her whole body froze. She knew something was up and it worked like a trigger for the eyeless killer, who prepared to strike immediately.  
  
Then, turning her head, the only thing EJ managed to see was two (e/c) lakes, falling on him, a mixture of surprise and anger. His lips parted slightly as he stared at the two moons, thinking he was looking at heaven itself.  
  
  


_**~*~** _

  
  
  
It was a fact.  
  
Singing did make you feel relaxed. Immediately, the total silence of the forest was broken from your voice that was carried away gracefully by the strong wind, reminding you a possible fairytale and making you giggle merrily at the thought. Still, your troubled heart was finally calming down deep inside your chest, letting the uneasy feelings go to rest within the darkest premises of your mind, enabling a small smile creep its way on your face. You deeply cherished these rare moments of happiness since Jack had gone missing, where you could open up and just be yourself.  
  
But right then, you heard a small movement behind you.  
  
It was so light that you immediately dismissed it as just a trick your mind decided to play to you. It was nothing right?.....Right?  
  
You felt a pair of eyes digging themselves on your turned back, burning the clothes that covered it away and proceeding to melt your skin underneath. Swallowing hard, you immediately felt cold sweat going down your spine… What was that? Was someone behind you? If yes what should you do?! Defend yourself or flee as fast as you can, not even daring to look back? Hell no, you are perfectly capable of defending yourself if situations called for it…..Or at least you hoped so.  
  
Clenching your teeth hard, you order your feet to come to an abrupt stop. You tried to hear anything coming from behind you, but instead, you were greeted by the fast and heavy beat of your heart, which had suddenly decided to beat inside your ears, completely cutting off your sense of hearing. But you were brave. You would face the danger head on, no matter what happened. The worst thing that could happen to you was to die instantly. And with the life that you lived up until now with Jack gone, you couldn’t decide whether that was a bad or a good thing.  
  
With all the determination you could muster up, you suddenly turn and look behind you.  
  
What you saw, made surprise and terror, lock you up in place.  
  
Right behind you, there was the strange man standing. No, he was more on his late teens, maybe around nineteen or twenty years old.  
  
He was tall, really tall, able to tower well above you with ease, with a muscular but rather lean body. He was yet again dressed in black, matching a black hoodie, black pants and black running shoes, with the only exception that his face was covered by a navy-blue mask that had complete lack of any characteristics, except the two black holes where the eyes should be. A strange goo-like substance was dripping down from them, making it look like the man was crying black tears. Some stray auburn locks of hair were protruding under his raised hoodie, a complete contrast along with the mask to his otherwise black appearance. As your eyes wandered on him, you were able to locate some deeper black spots on his clothes that somehow confused you. But when your eyes fell on his hand that was holding a scalpel and was completely covered with red, dripping blood, terror was one way to explain the sheer fear that flooded you, making your breath stop inside your chest.  
  
He was looking at you in obviously an attack mode, having tilted his head to the side and examining you for the time being, like you were the most bizarre thing on earth. You had absolutely no idea where he came from, how he found you, but it was obvious by the bloodied scalpel, what he wanted from you.  
  
So you did the only thing that was logical to you.  
  
You ran.  
  
As your brain finally analyzed the dangerous man that was standing right behind you and the bloodied weapon that he had at hand, it commanded the rest of your body to take action. Time seemed to slow down, as you turned your head in the front once again and in a cold numbness that you called your mental state right at that moment, your feet started moving. One step, another step, left leg in front of the right, repeating all over again, until the next thing you felt was your body being ejected forward with all the power you had inside of you, and even the power you never knew you had.  
  
Air whipped your hair backwards as your teeth clenched with power and determination, as your whole body gave up the fight and was completely engulfed by the ancient sense of self-preservation, wanting to get away from the possible lethal danger that lurked behind you. Your brain was completely clear all of the sudden, leaving your mind completely empty from any pestering thought, allowing you to think of possible ways out of this situation. You were watching yourself though, as if you were looking through a large tunnel, a dark glow penetrating the edges of your vision. It mattered not if your lungs had already started to burn you and your heart to beat dangerously fast; you had to get away.  
  
You ran and ran and ran, looking up in front of you at the never-ending path that seemed to go on forever. Why on earth had you gotten so far inside the forest?! Why weren’t you a little bit more careful and just walked inside of it for a little bit?! Desperation started to flood your racing heart and tears of despair starting budding on the edges of your eyes, which you blinked away immediately. Calm down, calm down, you need to keep your composure and clear head in order to get away. Where the hell is this guy though?  
  
Daring to look behind you, a cold shiver goes down your spire and you choke down a penetrating scream, as you see him running close behind you, almost making no sound and never failing to fall behind; he was going to get you, you were sure about it. You were going to be cut in half, murdered or even far worse than that! Why? Why didn’t you just stay in bed today? Just why?!  
  
Just like that, you continued to run through the forest for what seemed like an eternity, you running with all your willpower and he, following close behind. You mentally thanked all the gods above for the fact that they had graced you to be faster than any of your previous classmates, plus your lifestyle back at the home sometimes involved running like a crazy person, but still, your heart had started to slowly malfunction. You weren’t supposed to run; no, you were forbidden to run. Your heart was beginning to hurt like crazy and you were unable to stop and take some pills. What would you say to your pursuer? ‘Gimme a sec to take a pill and we continue runnin’?  
  
So you took the chances. You risked not taking a pill and continued running.  
  
And luck was on your side.  
  
Running with all your might, your feet land hard on the water of the brook, allowing the chilling cold water to penetrate your shoes, but you pay no attention to it as you dart out and on the small path that led to the campus. The man was continuing to pursue you, his heavy and fast steps echoing behind you, but finally, the edge of the trees and the start of the campus came into view.  
  
You heard a loud, angry growl, and turning, you saw the man pulling up all of his remaining strength in trying to reach you. He was fast; you had to admit, but you were faster.  
  
Your body was literally ejected out of the trees.  
  
A relieved sigh left your lips and looking behind you, you no longer saw the man chasing after you. But you didn’t stop running nonetheless.  
  
Outside of the girls’ dorms and near the sidewalk, three people are standing. Greg, Gabby and Sam.  
  
‘GREG!’ you scream, as you run towards them, moving your hands in the air, trying to get their attention.  
  
Their gazes fell on you and a flash of surprise and terror was seen coming from their eyes, as they stood up abruptly and gazed upon your terrified form, seconds away from rushing towards you, sensing the grave danger. But it was too late.  
  
As you were reaching them, a piercing pain shot up through your heart.  
  
And all things happened at once.  
  
Your hands flew on your heart, covering the spot up gently, as your eyes open wide with surprise. Surprise also penetrated Greg’s eyes and Gabby’s as well, as the books she was holding dropped from her suddenly loose hold and crashed to the floor. You saw their mouths calling out to you, but it was too late. A black mist started penetrating your eyes, as you lost your footing and started falling.  
  
You blacked out before you touched the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song that you are singing is Molitva by Marija Serifovic.


	5. Chapter 5 There Is No Escape

Three days passed from the day in the forest. Three days where you were still unconscious and barely in a stable condition, when you finally woke up in one of the most comfortable hospital beds you had ever been to. At first you didn’t really know where you where, but turning your gaze and finding Greg and Gabby sitting by your side and looking at you with worry painting their eyes, your brain was quick to pick up on what had happened. You had another incident. It was futile to be hiding your heart condition from them any longer; the doctors had already notified them that you had suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest _again_ , but other than that, you still refused to let them know what condition you had, because you didn’t want them to change their attitudes towards you; you didn’t want them to look out for you, nor treat you differently than the rest of their friends. You wanted to be treated as an equal, not some weakling that needed constant attention and care.  
  
Of course though, they also had questions as to why you were panicky running away from the forest, like you were running from the devil himself. This made you hesitant on explaining them what had happened, so you made up some lame excuses to reassure them, since you couldn’t tell them the truth in case you dragged them inside this madness as well. Yet you were happy to realize that you were safe; the man that was so quick and sharp into chasing after you hadn’t come over to the hospital thankfully and only led the plot to thicken around you as you thought all the information again and again: you had four dead bodies, one lunatic survivor and one missing person and now a madman-freak was added to the equation. Great! As if you didn’t have lots of problems already, the lunatic was the topping to the cake that made you realize that you were in desperate need to step things up a bit.  
  
And so you did.  
  
Despite the warnings that Greg and Gabby gave you that you should take a rest in the hospital for the next few days as well and not stress yourself further, the morning of the fourth day found you signing the papers and being allowed to leave from the hospital, paying no attention to the doctors that tried to talk you out of it and leaving as soon as you could, not telling your friends anything but leaving a note that you would be back tomorrow afternoon. They weren’t there at the moment and by the time you would be back from your little ‘trip’ tomorrow, you would deal with their impending rage with a clear mind and new information. Luck was on your side that morning and the campus was practically empty, since everyone was at their classes, enabling you to slip unnoticed to your room, change into new clothes and leave once again, making your way towards your car.  
  
Hopping on the driver’s seat, you turn the engine on and carefully make your way out of the campus, fast to hit the road that spread ahead in front of you, with only one single direction: St. Dymphna, Norfolk Virginia. Since things had started to go down the drain and the possibility of seeing that strange man with the mask was higher than you would like, it was only natural for you to go see Jenny as fast as you can. What was previously a thought, had now turned into a mandatory decision if you wanted to have a chance to figure all the things your wanted and hopefully, Jenny would shed some light to what the hell was the thing that attacked them that fateful night four years ago. Then, you would be able to solve the mystery a lot faster. So racing against time and your worried thoughts about what was in store for you in the future, you press the accelerator only more and focus your attention on the road.  
  
Grey clouds were covering the vast sky and the strong wind only promised that another storm would be hitting the ground tonight, giving you barely enough time to go to Norfolk and return safe and sound on the –hopefully- safety of your own room.  
  
The almost nine-hour trip to Norfolk passed faster than you had first expected, since your thoughts were clouded and focused in all the info you had gathered, but nonetheless, revolving around the strange man that you had seen inside the forest. Things simply didn’t add up. If he wanted you dead, then you were already dead and he just didn’t get a good chance inside the forest out of pure luck. If he was going up against you, now that you had seen him, then time was running out for you. So you had to solve this mystery and fast. But who on earth was he in general?  
  
With all those thoughts pestering your mind, you finally come to a stop in front of a huge building. It reminded you of those old ones that back in the days used to be hotels, only that now, a huge sign that read ‘St. Dymphna Mental Institute’ was placed right above the entrance, allowing any passerby to be warned that this was not a place to be wandering around mindlessly, but be wary and careful about its residents that most didn’t pose a threat whatsoever, but that was something that was easy to change inside one single moment. As your eyes wander more into the brightly lit windows, you can locate the faint silhouettes of the patients or nurses that were standing rather close to the windows. The night was fast to spread across the vast sky, so the only lights that illuminated the damp from the quick shower of rain sidewalks, were the lights coming from the clinic and any random streetlamp that lurked around you. Random people were pacing up and down the small sidewalk, walking past by you and going about their routines, hurrying to return to their homes before the torrential rain would start to cascade from the hauntingly dark skies, minding you not and allowing you to muster up your courage, before you sigh wearily to yourself and walk up to the entrance door, your heart pounding with determination with each step you took.  
  
Your delicate fingers wrap around the cold doorknob, as you turn it and step inside the building. The moment you do, the sweet warmth envelopes you, as you find yourself in a welcoming reception. The room was brightly lit by a beautiful chandelier that hanged from the ceiling, decorated with small crystals that threw the colors of the rainbow in random places around the room. The walls were painted with a lovely peach color that matched perfectly with the crème carpet and living room couch that decorated the room, as well as the light colored wooden reception, behind which, sat a middle-aged lady. She had short, dyed blond hair and brown colored eyes, that were framed by a pair of old fashioned glasses. She was wearing a pink dress and a golden cross around her neck, while she was messing around with her paperwork that was lying right in front of her. The moment you enter her head perks up and she gazed towards you as you walk up to her and gives you a small smile.  
  
‘May I help you young lady?’ she asks, her voice monotonous and somewhat austere.  
  
‘Hello, I would like to see a friend of mine that is currently staying here.’ You say, resting your hands on the wooden desk ‘Her name is Jenny Smith.’  
  
‘I would like to see your ID card please.’ She says, typing away in her computer and taking your ID on her hands checking it, as she consults the results on the screen and then nods ‘I’m sorry, but you are not on the registered list of visitors.’  
  
Not that you would be in the first place ‘Can I still see her please? It’s really important.’  
  
She nods ‘I’m afraid I can’t allow that. Her parents specifically made this list and no one else but them, can see her.’ She points at the list on the computer screen.  
  
‘Please, I was her best friend in college, but after the incident I only recently discovered where she is. I think it would be good for her to see me as well.’ You say, trying to convince her.  
  
‘I don’t know y-‘  
  
‘I think it will help her too Maggie.’ A sweet and adorable voice comes from your right and as the two of you turn your heads, you see a young nurse stepping out of a vast double door, smiling to the both of you widely. She was barely over 25 years old, dressed in the nurse white attire and having her strawberry red hair up in a nice ponytail, with her hair cascading down her back. She was around your height, with a beautiful face and a pair of hazel colored eyes that contrasted her extremely white skin. Her whole aura gave away a calmness and sweetness that was irresistible ‘Jen only gets a visitor once a year. I think she will be happy to see her.’  
  
‘I don’t know Eva, the rules are rules.’ The woman named Maggie sighs, but you see her posture loosen up in the appearance of her colleague.  
  
Eva smiles ‘It’s okay, I’ll keep an eye out and everything will go well. Now, come on sweetheart, I’ll lead you to her room.’ She nods at you, opening the door behind her and keeping it open with one hand, as she smiles brightly, her green eyes filling with kindness.  
  
‘You can get your ID once you are out.’ Maggie comments, throwing you a weary gaze, as you simply nod and walk up to the nice nurse that leads you behind the door and onto a large corridor.  
  
The air around you gave off a strong aroma of medicine and decay, since the place was not so well preserved and time had stained the walls irreparably, but nonetheless, the whole place was quite cute to the gaze, with a thick red carpet adorning the floor and drowning away the sound of both your and the nurse’s steps, as well as the other nurses’ that walked up and down the place every now and then. Various pots with plants were resting beside some of the doors that seemed to go on forever on your right and on your left, all of them being thoroughly locked, making a small chill go down your spine and alertness to prick your senses as you looked around. They weren’t as the metal doors that mental institutes had in movies and so on; no, they were regular, but still rather creepy. The red-haired nurse led you on and on, further inside the building, her hair bouncing lightly in the movement of her body and you barely noticed when she turned and smile to you.  
  
‘So, you are Jen’s bestie right?’ she asks merrily.  
  
‘Yeah, I’ve met her in the first day of college but haven’t seen her since that horrible accident.’ You lie ‘It was a real pain to locate her here. I had to literally beg her parents to tell me.’ this was fairly a good time to get some information.  
  
‘It is true that her parents were pretty shaken with what happened. They locked her here and I haven’t seen anyone but them to come and see Jen. And even that is only once a year. The poor girl is always alone, so I think that your presence will be good for her.’ She comments, turning right on another corridor.  
  
‘Are you sure about that?’ you pretend to be the worried friend.  
  
‘Well yeah. In her condition, it will help her a lot. We had another incident yesterday were she attempted to end her life. It was a good thing we got to her fast.’ She sighs and spares you a tired gaze.  
  
‘I’m really sad to hear that. What is she suffering from?’ you ask.  
  
‘She has mild schizophrenia and suffers from psychotic depression and religious delusions. She seems to think that there is a demon somewhere in this planet that will spare her life.’ She comes to a stop right in front of a white wooden door, shoving her hand on her pocket and withdrawing a silver key, she unlocks the door fast and opens it.  
  
Both of you walk inside the small room and you have the chance to look around. There weren’t too many things to start with, just a nice bed and a dresser with a small plant on it, that seemed to be withering away. The walls were painted in a faint mint color and the floor was adorned by the same thick red carpet that existed on the corridors. Not the prettiest combination of colors, but you weren’t here for this right now. Right across from the door and past the bed, existed three huge windows, that were covered by long white drapes and right in front of them, there was a wooden rocking chair, in which a girl was sitting, her gaze focused on nothing in particular, wearing a peculiar white shirt which your brain took a few minutes to realize that it was in fact, a straightjacket.  
  
‘Hey Jen!’ the nurse greeted cheerfully ‘I have a friend of yours that came to see you.’  
  
The girl didn’t even acknowledge your presence. The nurse turned and smiled to you apologetically, but you barely saw her, as you took a step in the side and then forward, trying to take a clear look on the petite girl in the straightjacket. And what you saw could only be described as a brutal scene.  
  
Jenny was rocking herself back and forth in the rocking chair, her hands restrained by the white fabric that was carefully wrapped around her petite figure, preventing her from harming either herself, or the others around her. One look on her face and it was obvious that this girl had gone through a real-life nightmare, leaving behind only remnants of her once breathtaking beauty. What once seemed to be her vibrant and amazing hair curls in the shade of a rich chocolate brown color, were now hanging lifelessly and quite disheveled from her head, cascading down her back and reminding you very strongly of a bird nest. It was obvious that there were many attempts –possibly from the nurses- to tame the mane, but all of them had failed in the process, leaving behind quite the mess. Various deep scars that were here to stay until this poor girl drew her last breath were scattered across her once beautiful face, marking it monstrously and tainting her beauty. It was obvious that she had lost many pounds and quite fast, so her skin and body no longer held on their age, aging overnight in the most horrible way, making her look a little bit like a skeleton. But the remnants of the battle she went through were not the ones that made an uneasy feeling rise up from your stomach. No.  
  
It was the striking resemblance that the two of you shared.  
  
The shape of her delicate face was exactly the same as yours and her skin was in the same color as your (s/c) own, making your heart freeze inside your chest. The characteristics of your faces were so similar, that the only difference was that the girl had grey colored eyes while you had (e/c)[if you have grey eyes change Jenny’s color]. Still, her eyes had lost all the life that they held within and they were now looking straight ahead, without focusing on anyone, and being so murky, that you wondered if she had finally gone completely mad. All in all, you looked pretty much the same, with only some key differences. As well as that the girl that was sitting right in front of you was pretty much a ‘vegetable’. There goes your chance to get some information. But you decided not to give up yet.  
  
‘H-hey Jen.’ your voice comes out barely above a whisper ‘Remember me? (y/n)?’ Of course she wouldn’t, but that was the point from the start. You take a few steps forward, forcing yourself inside her field of vision and surely enough, you see her stop rocking herself and move her head towards you, barely a millimeter.  
  
‘Oh, I was so worried about you darling, are you doing alright?’ you exclaim, pretending to be relived and walking towards the other side of the bed and closer to her, you plop yourself on the bed and lean in towards her.  
  
‘W-who…..are…you?’ Her voice was gruff and empty, like she had a few years to speak properly.  
  
‘I’m (y/n), your best friend. We were on college together.’ You say, smiling brightly at her.  
  
‘O-oh….right….’ she replies.  
  
You let out an inaudible sigh and turning, you smile to the nurse, who simply nods and leaves discretely, leaving the both of you alone. This is your chance. You shove your hand inside your bag and take out a notebook and pen, opening it and turning towards Jenny, who had her eyes nailed on you, watching your every move with her empty gaze.  
  
‘So Jenny, I would like to ask you some questions. You feel up to it? It won’t take us long.’  
  
She blinks her eyes slowly and shrugs ‘O-okay…’  
  
‘Do you remember Jack Nichols? He was a student in your college four years back.’ You say, your pen ready to note every possible info.  
  
In the sound of Jack’s name, Jenny blinks a few times and her brown eyebrows furrow above her eyes in confusion as she falls into silence once again, but right when you were ready to ask her again, in case her attention was distracted, her eyes clear and lightened up. It was as if someone had turned the switch on inside her mind and when she turned towards you again, her murky eyes had regained some part of their livelihood.  
  
Which only gave you hope ‘Do you remember him?’  
  
Her parched lips half open and you can literally hear the shaky breath that she draws in, before she speaks again ‘J-Jack…..Nichols…….Jack…..my sweet Jack….’  
  
Jealousy penetrates your heart, making your eyes twitch a little bit, but your jaw tightens and you continue ‘So you remember him.’ you simply state, as the girl smiles.  
  
‘O-of course I r-remember him….He….he was so sweet and k-kind all the time….’ she turns and looks at you ‘H-he always helped me out wi-with the a-a-ssignments in m-medicine. H-he was s-so handsome b-b-but….quiet…all at the same time…..a mystery…. A c-cute m….mystery…’ her lips perk up on their edges, forming an unnerving but calm smile.  
  
‘So, you liked him?’ you ask, noting furiously on your notebook.  
  
She nods ‘I-I-I did……I guess I did…..and I k-knew h-he liked me as well….t-the way he blushed e-everytime I smiled at him…….so adorable…..But I knew t-that his r-r-room…mate…. didn’t like me……at all……at all…….but I was clever…I did all the t-tricks to lure him to me…..I even led him to our hide-out…..he was so cute…he even found us that night…..but…..but…but…….bu-‘ abruptly, she draws in a sharp breath and seizes to speak all together, her eyes focusing once again into the void right in front of her, filling with a sheer terror that was so evident, it was almost tangible.  
  
You lean in towards her, your voice dripping with seriousness ‘What happened to Jack, Jenny? Who did what to him?’  
  
But it was evident that she wasn’t listening to you.  
  
Her mouth fell open and some of her drool started dripping to the floor as she said nothing for a full ten minutes, until…  
  
‘….. _All hail Chernobog_ …..’  
  
‘What? I didn’t catch that.’ you say, noting the name down. But she barely has a grip over the reality around her.  
  
 _‘…..All hail Chernobog………..all hail Chernobog…….all hail!......all hail!!!.......Chernobog….Chernobog…..come…..come…..Master……step forward and release us to everlasting paradise……hail!.....hail, oh, hail dark master….offer us eternal salvation!.....’_  
  
All the time the deranged girl was whispering more to herself than to any other, your pen was flying over the pieces of paper, noting down all her words feverishly, so you wouldn’t miss a thing, as before your very own eyes, Jenny started rocking herself once again, this time more vigorously and harsh than before. Her eyes went unfocused and crazed once again and this time, tears bubbled on their edges, starting to flow non-stop from the eyes of the girl, as her mouth fell open in an inaudible scream that never left her lips. You watched her closely, your heart tightening dangerously inside your chest as you braced yourself for whatever was coming.  
  
_‘Chernobog……Chernobog….Chernobog…..Chernobog…..Jack…..Jack….Ja-ack…..hail……hail……release me to paradise……release…..me….Chernobog…..dark master……..Jack… JACK!’_ her bloodcurdling scream pierced your ears, as the deranged girl was falling into a fit of lunacy, screaming to the top of her lungs and tossing around like a madwoman, twisting her body inhumanely _‘PRAISE CHERNOBOG! ALL HAIL CHERNOBOG! OUR ONE TRUE DARK MASTER, WHO WILL RELEASE US TO EVERLASTING PARASIDE! RISE CHERNOBOG! CLAIM YOUR BODY! YOU! THE ONE WHO WILL RELEASE US FROM THIS HELL! FIND YOUR SACRIFISE TO DO YOUR BIDDING!’_  
  
As she screams and tosses around, you were unable to decide whether to push her for more info –which she clearly held inside- or make a run for it out of here, before the nurses rush inside and start asking questions. Yet, as you see the girl finally falling on the ground and continuing to shake and toss like a fish out of water, the next thing you know, is that your hands wrap around her shoulders and you shake her vigorously.  
  
‘WHERE IS JACK?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM JENNY? TELL ME THE TRUTH!’ you hear yourself scream from the distance, shaking the fragile girl that was screaming, harshly.  
  
‘JACK!....JAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!! JACK! RELEASE ME! RELEASE ME TO EVERLASTING PARADISE!!! I WANT SALVATION!’ she continued to scream ‘JACK…JACK….JACK….PLEASE…PLEASE….JACK PLEASE…NOOOOOOOOOO!!!’  
  
It was at this point, that you heard the door burst open and the nurses to rush towards Jenny, preparing many medicines to calm down the deranged girl. All that happened next, was just a blur. How you picked yourself up from the ground and walked out of that cursed building until you reached the hotel, where you would be staying in the night, was a question your brain couldn’t answer. One minute you were standing right next to Jenny, screaming at her to tell you what happened to Jack and the next moment you were sitting on the comfortable bed of your hotel room, opening a cola from the stash and downing it with a few gulps. Your notebook, car keys and ID were with you –thank God- and there was nothing else you could do, since the storm had already started outside. Your mind was blurry and hurting you so much that left you with no room, even to go through the new info, so downing some pills, you allowed yourself to fall into a dreamless sleep.  
  
  


**~*~**

  
  
  
When you pulled inside the parking lot of the campus, hitting the brakes with everything you’ve got and parking the car clumsily, the sky was already dark and flashing with strong lightnings.  
  
The harsh lightning light was illuminating the inky night with their eerie white light, inspiring nothing but terror to the people that were making their way towards the shelters of their rooms, hurrying along not to be out in the open for too long. The loud thunders were echoing each time a lightning touched the harsh ground in the distance, tangling into a lethal kiss, the aftermath of whom could be heard many meters away, reverberating like bullets in the night. Everything was pointing out that another storm was on its way and it would be fast to strike the campus, making it dangerous for the students to wander around mindlessly, since nature is nothing but kind to her creatures when she unleashes her powers. The strong wind that coursed hard all around, was almost making the trees to bend utterly, their green branches touching the ground that existed underneath them, for the very first time. The whole terrifying scenery around you was unraveling fast and hard, giving you just enough time to find shelter. Yet instead of walking over to your room and call it a night for today and patiently wait for the storm to pass, you make your way to the library, almost running along the way and pushing the double doors to the side with all your might, you pass inside the calm and warm interior.  
  
Even after the continuous nine hour drive, you didn’t even feel one speck of tiredness as you ignored the world around you and made your way to the upper floor of the library, where they kept the computers. The whole place was pretty much empty, with only the young librarian standing behind her desk, looking over at her computer screen, paying you no mind, something that helped you tremendously. You also knew that for the thing you were looking for right now, no matter how many books the library had, only the internet would be of help. Because you would be searching for info about the name Jenny gave you…. Chernobog. The computer room was strangely half lit when you finally reached it, but you made your way to your usual computer beside the window, pulling the chair and turning it on immediately. The old machine took a little bit of time to connect to the internet and the complete lack of an ad-blocker made it even more difficult, but when you finally reached your favorite search engine, your finders danced against the keyboard.  
  
The very first results that it gave you were indeed a little bit disappointing. It appeared what whoever that demon was –because you came across his name as a demon-, he was used by none other than Disney as a type of black, gargoyle demon that mostly appeared in some of the Disney cartoons. So, no possible leads there. Except if Jenny was so fanatic with ‘ _Night on Bald Mountain’_ which was a part of Disney’s _Fantasia_ , or with _Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance_. Both scenarios were immediately dropped. But before you dropped the search for today, after about half an hour of continuous search, you remembered what Greg had told you that Jenny was reading some weird cult books. So returning to the search engine, you typed away once again and this time, you hit bull’s-eye.  
  
You were lead into a Wikipedia article, which was something more than simply informative. You leaned in and started reading.  
  
_‘Chernobog, spelled in Proto-Slavic *čĭrnŭ 'black' and *bogŭ "god", also spelled as Czernobog, Crnobog and Tchernobog is a Slavic deity, whose name means black god, about whom much has been speculated but little can be said definitively. The only historical sources, which are Christian ones, interpret him as a dark, accursed god, who was considered extremely malicious by ancient Slavs. The name is attested among West Slavic tribes of the 12th century, hence it is speculated that he was a very important and old deity. He is usually depicted as rather ruthless and malicious, having little to no regret about taking people lives or punishing his enemies in the worst way possible, often causing famine and cannibalism upon humanity._ _One historic source on Slavic mythology mentioning this god is the 12th-century Chronica Slavorum, a work written by German priest Helmold which describes customs and beliefs of several Wendish and Polabian tribes who were still pagans. Helmold wrote that:_ _The Slavs, too, have a strange delusion. At their feasts and carousals they pass about a bowl over which they utter words, I should not say of consecration but of execration, in the name of the gods — of the good one, as well as of the bad one, whose anger they fear the most — professing that all propitious fortune is arranged by the good god, adverse, by the bad god who only brings misfortune and death. Hence, also, in their language they call the bad god Diabol, or Zcerneboch, that is, the black god. Many incidents where cultists were found worshiping the god have been noted down by authorities, through; they were of no importance and not going above the total number of 7 incidents. The only cult that was most notorious for worshiping him, were a small gathering of horrendously mutilated priests called "The Chernovy".’_  
  
Clicking on some of the results that lead you to some pictures, your eyes don’t fail to notice that the only common thing in all of this demon’s depictions, were the complete lack of eyes. Even the cultists that were referred to as ‘horrendously mutilated’, seemed that they had taken their eyes out, leaving just the empty sockets, something that were quite unnerving to see. Closing the tab and resting your back on the chair, you allow things to settle inside your mind for a little bit, gazing outside on the raging storm. So this thing was indeed a demon and there really were cults that had something to do with him. Was it possible that Jenny had something to do with them? It was the only logical explanation, since this demon wouldn’t be someone you just happened to know out of luck and you were pretty sure that Disney didn’t mention his name at all. Yes, Jenny must have had something to do with all this, something that also explains her religious delusions and the demon that would set her free. But what did all of that have to do with Jack?  
  
Suddenly, a loud thunder echoes and the lights go off. Startled, you gaze around you, sighing wearily as you register that the constant lighting must have caused a black out. Picking your things up, you shove them on your backpack and rise on your feet, in an attempt to go down the stairs and leave, using only the light that was offered to you by the storm outside. You barely make a single step, when something navy blue draws your attention.  
  
What you see shakes you to the core.  
  
Right across from where you were standing, on the complete opposite side of the room, one of the windows was wide open. The strong rain was pouring inside hard, quick to stain the dry floor and also allow the piercing cold wind to storm mercilessly inside the room, chilling the once warm but humid atmosphere in mere seconds and sending a shiver down your spine, as your hair on the back of your neck stand up and your eyes open wide by the surprise. But it was neither the storm nor the rain that made all alerts of danger inside your mind go off; no, these were but mere nuisances, barely registered inside your distressed mind at the moment. The thing that shook your sanity violently, was the man that was standing right in front of the window, standing tall and lethal, even if he had completely seized his movements whatsoever for the time being.  
  
He was the man that had chased you not so long ago inside the forest, bringing you one step away from death itself, leaving you desperately clawing yourself in the few chances you had to live. He was standing perfectly still, his ominous posture so still, that it was as if he was some kind of statue, illuminated only by the light that was coming inside from the lightning; if your eyes hadn’t caught the color of his mask, you were absolutely sure that you would have failed to notice him. The navy blue color was phosphorescent all by itself, reacting to the nonexistent light by shedding its luxurious blue one, failing to blend in with the surroundings and thus revealing his presence to you. The black tears were continuing to cascade his mask and he had tilted his head a little bit to the side, studying you.  
  
You inhale a sharp breath.  
  
He was here! He had found you! How on earth did he discover you here and how was he able to climb the building completely unnoticed?! Yeah, the storm must have provided him with some kind of protection against preying eyes, but what the absolute hell! Sheer terror started creeping its way from your frantically beating heart, spreading inside your veins and drowning away all your resistance, as your body was beginning to beg you to run. Your breath quickened and your broken heart started beating so loudly, that soon after, covered any other sound, pounding loudly inside your ears and cutting all your senses off, except eyesight. You were completely unable to move a single muscle, trapped inside your own body, with your mind begging you to ran as far as you can, as fast as you can. Yet you only stood there, watching at the strange man, who did nothing but stare back. You could actually feel his gaze burning your skin away, melting the flesh and reaching deep down into your very own soul, even if you couldn’t see his eyes for yourself.  
  
Then…  
  
He took one step towards you. A calm, calculated step.  
  
Then another.  
  
One more. Towards you.  
  
And your brain finally took over your body.  
  
You had to get away. Now.  
  
Without throwing another look towards him, your head turns and locks the moment the staircase comes into plain view, quickly burning its image inside your mind, as the only means to salvation. With fire burning through your veins, you brace yourself and make a run for it. You dare not turn and look where the man was, you just simply push the chair aside and start running towards the stairs, flinging your backpack on your back and focusing on the simple task. The heavy noise of furniture hitting each other and low growls that come from behind you immediately notify you that the man is hot on your tracks, his sole purpose to stop you from running away and capture you, if not do something worse. Suddenly, you are vaguely aware that his steps are falling hard against the floor, too close behind you and for a split second, you can literally feel his hot breath grazing the skin of your neck. Your brain immediately panics and reacts instinctively. Grabbing one of the chairs that were right in front of you, you fling it back with all your might and the power that your broken body could fuel you with and with great surprise, you see that you indeed manage to hit the man, the chair hitting him straight in the chest and the impact throwing him against one of the desks. He hits it hard, the desk moving backwards and the computer resting on it falling hard on the floor breaking but you don’t stay to watch the show.  
  
Finally reaching the stairs, you immediately start to descend them, screaming all at the same time for the librarian to hear you; for anybody to hear you. But you are reckless. On the very third step, you miscalculate your footing and your foot slips on the concrete surface. The scream that shot from your lungs never leaves your lips, as the next thing you feel is the collision of your sides on the cold floor. The whole world around you blurs as you tumble down the stairs hard, with pure pain shooting up from various places of your body, since they are hitting hard against the stairs. Most of the damage is taken by the rest of your body, since out of pure instinct, your hands fly to cover your head, protecting it from any possible hit that could be lethal. The descend seemed endless, as if the torture was never going to end, so when your back hits against a solid wall, stopping you on firm ground, blood comes out of your mouth as you helplessly see in a blur the man run down the stairs and in a flash, he is right beside you.  
  
Firm hands grab you by your shoulders, picking you up and he pins you against the wall, trapping you with his sturdy body in such manner, that leaves you with barely enough room to move. Before you even register what is happening, a sharp pain shots up from your lower belly and gazing down, your brain freezes in terror as you see his black gloved hand having driven his sharp scalpel on your belly, stabbing you with all his might. Luxurious red blood is now staining the cloth fast, as you scream out in pain once again and lean your head back, trying to take in the excruciating feeling. Gazing upon his mask, trying desperately to see who he is, you fail even to see his eyes, since a black cloth was covering them and all in all, not even his breath was audible. His menacing aura darkens even more though, as he withdraws his scalpel and prepares to strike you once again.  
  
Then, you do the only thing you could do.  
  
You kick him were the sun doesn’t shine.  
  
A clearly audible groan reverberates from behind his mask and his grip immediately loosens, as he releases you and takes a few steps back. Paying no attention to the deep wound on your stomach, you gaze around you frantically for any possible way to defend yourself and luckily for you, there is a fire extinguisher, resting on its base. With another scream of pain due to the sudden move, you grab it and fling it once again against him, trying to hit him in the head. To your utter surprise, he dodges it with a fluid motion, so easily, like it was nothing more than a simple nuisance. But you don’t allow this to stop you. With loud screams, you fling it against him again and again, trying desperately if not to hit him, at least to keep him away, but he continues to avoid it and get closer. Then, an idea dawns inside your head.  
  
Pulling the lock off, you press the handle. White dust-like smock immediately pours out from the edge, engulfing the man in a white cloud, making him unable to see. This is your f*cking chance!  
  
Throwing the extinguisher inside the white cloud, you cover your wound with your hand and once again start to go down the final stairs. You can clearly hear him growling in annoyance, but you spare him no glance as you almost jump off the last three stairs, making a run for the exit. The ground floor was completely dark and with no sign of life whatsoever, yet this is something that you shortly discharge from your mind. Alas, when your foot slips on something undetected by your brain on the floor, you land butt-first on something liquid. A pained groan leaves your lips, as your hands raise themselves from the ground and bring the dark liquid close to your face, trying to see what the hell that was, but the piercing darkness doesn’t allow that. It was not until your eyes catch something white on the side that you turn and almost have another heart attack right on spot.  
  
There, resting against the floor and looking at you with murky and lifelessly-still eyes, was the librarian.  
  
She was resting against the floor face first, her once lively eyes being completely unfocused and empty. Her white skin was illuminating majestically under the eerie light that was provided by the thunders, but the most unsettling thing about her, other than her eyes, was one large gash that had cut her throat from side to side. The blood had pooled under her, draining her completely and spreading across the floor. She was dead. For a long time now. A sob comes out from deep inside your chest and your eyesight is stained with tears as you gaze upon the dead woman, but a loud thud behind you pulls you out from your thoughts. Turning, you see the man jumping off the side of the stairs and now making his way towards you fast, running on the last steps. This is not the time to be sitting around.  
  
Standing up, you carefully pass the pool of blood and make a final run for it towards the door. Pushing your body to its limits, you fly among the aisles, towards the only thing that could lead you to salvation: the front door. Your heart is pounding hard inside your chest, sending pain through your body and mind as she is pushed to her limits, but that doesn’t stop you nonetheless, since once again, you can literally feel the man’s hot breath on the back of your neck as you reach the wooden door. His fingers brush against your back as you literally collide your self with the wooden door.  
  
The stormy cold weather envelopes you immediately as you cry out in happiness that you are out in the open once again, giving you more ways to salvation, but before you have the chance to take a single breath, you collide hard against someone’s sturdy chest.  
  
Someone’s hands wrap around your shoulders as your penetrating scream of pure terror sounds above the storm.  
  
‘______ WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED GIRL?!’ a familiar voice screams.  
  
Your head flies up, only to meet with the kind, chocolate brown eyes of Greg.  
  
‘GREG, HE IS CHASING ME! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE HE-‘ turning, you try to point at the man, but to your complete surprise there is no one behind you. Puzzled, you turn to look at Greg, who nonetheless nods, his eyes darkening.  
  
‘Let’s get you to the nurse.’


	6. Chapter 6 One Last Warning

‘For the love of God and everything’s that’s holy, how many times do I have to tell you that I had nothing to do with all of this?’ you rolled your eyes and sighed in frustration, finally reaching your limits with all the pressure the policemen were putting on you.  
  
It had been all night long that you had passed inside this damn police station, immediately after the nurse of the campus managed to stitch the wound on your belly tightly and the police had been notified about the murder in the library. It was purely a miracle that Greg had seen your car into the parking lot and after knocking on your room door, which gave him no answer of course, decided that he would probably find you into the library. You really wanted to congratulate him on his right thinking because if it wasn’t for him, then you would already be dead, murdered in cold blood by the masked man that seemed just now to become your worst nightmare. He had found you. He had managed to find you and infiltrate the campus, killing the librarian in cold blood and proceeding with attempting to do the very same thing to you. If it was a close call? No, it was pure luck that you had survived him with nothing more than a stab wound and some bruises here and there.  
  
The two policemen that were sitting right across from you inside the interrogation room looked at each other and one of them fiddled with his papers absentmindedly. They were both in their late fifties and more suspicious of you than you would like. They had listened to your story about what happened, nodding and writing down when your little ‘quarrel’ with the masked guy came into the conversation, but instead of letting you go –as you hoped- they kept you in there all night long, coming up with new questions for you, both about your family and –to your utter anger- Jack. Doing your absolute best to answer them calmly, it took all your willpower not to start screaming at their faces and bang their heads together, but it sure as hell was a difficult thing. Thankfully, they didn’t get a warrant to search your room, something that you felt grateful for, if you counted the fact of how many information they would find inside. If they didn’t arrest you for attempted murder, they would definitely do so for stealing information from their database.  
  
‘So, miss (l/n), you claim that you weren’t the one to kill the librarian, but a blue masked male did.’ One of the policemen repeated carefully, nailing his piercing blue eyes on your (e/c) orbs.  
  
You sigh ‘Yes. I did not kill her.  
  
‘How can you prove that?’ the other one asked.  
  
‘For God’s sake!’ you exclaim loudly, rolling your eyes and leaning forward ‘How many times do I have to explain? I was on the last floor with the computers; I was minding my own business trying to find some information about an assignment. As I closed everything and prepared to leave, I was attacked and later I found out she was dead, as I made my way out of the building. If you check the surveillance cameras of the library, you’ll probably see her getting killed, because it is sure as hell that she was long dead before I found her.’  
  
‘You could have gone down and killed her before the lights went off.’ The other one commented, not even looking at you, like you were so worthless that even looking at you was too much.  
  
‘So you are saying that I magically made a scalpel appear out of thin air and killed her before injuring myself.’ You narrow your eyes at him.  
  
‘How did you know she was killed by a scalpel?’ the man finally turns and looks at you, throwing his hand over his mouth skeptically. On the other hand, you were wondering what kinds of idiots protect this country –no offence to REAL police officers-.  
  
‘I was stabbed by one. I highly think I would remember it.’ You narrow your eyes and lean back, as the door flings open once again.  
  
The police officer that entered this time was a stunning blonde woman. Her light blonde hair in the shade of wheat was up in a nice but strict ponytail, while her stunning blue eyes were covered by a pair of glasses, which applied some harmony in her beautiful face, soothing her strict jawline. She was wearing a pencil blue skirt and a white shirt and she was holding some files against her chest. Her gaze wandered around the small room, falling firstly on you and then on her colleagues, before she moved towards them, her high-heels clinking against the floor and the sound of the files hitting the table sounding shortly after.  
  
‘Let her go boys. Her alibi is proven.’ She says with her peculiarly girly voice, nodding sharply to the other two. In the sound of her words you can’t help but let out an almost silent sigh of relief, releasing the air that you were unknowingly holding inside your lungs. Finally, you would get out of this damn place; the moment you were back in your room, you would crash on your bed and sleep for three days straight.  
  
Returning your ID, you were excused and allowed to return to the campus. Grabbing your stuff messily, you make your way out of the interrogation room and towards the exit of the police station, walking among the busy corridors with a strong feeling of relief inside of you. This was one hell of a pain and you would really make sure not to get yourself in such a mess ever again. Still, you were feeling kind of sad about the murder of the librarian, since her bad luck tangled her inside a lethal situation without a possible way out. It only served to prove to you that the man in the blue mask was definitely not messing around for fun and he had totally something to do with the murders four years ago. And he had found you so easily! Maybe he was stalking around campus until he saw you go inside the library and decided to take care of you once and for all. Maybe he even knew were you were staying.  
  
The only thing that was clever of you to do now, was to lay low for a few days and make sure that you wouldn’t run on him.  
  
Walking into the reception desk, your eyes are immediately drawn towards a blonde head that was sitting in the far corner, holding two cups of hot coffee.  
  
‘Greg? What are you doing here? I thought you left.’ You say wide-eyed to the man who stood up and came towards you with heavy steps.  
  
‘I wouldn’t leave you here all alone sugar. Coffee?’ he says wearily and hands you the hot cup.  
  
‘Thanks. Can we please go? I really want to get back to the campus.’ You say, taking a small sip of the boiling hot coffee, feeling the sugar go down your throat, warming you up.  
  
His gaze darkens ‘Only if you tell me what the hell happened back there. I saw the dude that was chasing you; where did you get yourself into _______?’  
  
So he had seen him huh? Well, it was only natural for him to demand an explanation, but how much would be good to let him in the information you had? For all you knew you could drag him into all of this or maybe information might slip him to where they shouldn’t. Yet, it was evident that he wasn’t going to let you go like that.  
  
‘Okay, I’ll explain in the car. Can we go now?’ you mumble out and he nods silently.  
  
Walking hastily beside him, you make your way out of the police station and onto the cold parking lot. The sun was long ago up in the sky, but it was covered by a thick layer of grey clouds, which submerged the whole place into a chilling aura that was only magnified by the piercing cold wind that was coursing around you, signaling that fall was way closer than what you would like. The sunny last days of the summer gave their spot for the rainy days of a chilling fall faster than you thought. The parking lot was quite empty for the time being, with only some people coming and going, but you obediently followed Greg into a black pick-up truck, where he was fast to unlock the doors and you climbed silently on the passenger’s seat.  
  
The moment he closed the door behind him, he rested his hands on the steering wheel, without even turning to look at you. He was facing straight forward and was obviously trying to figure out what to ask first.  
  
‘I’ll begin with the easiest ones sugar. Where the freagin’ hell where you yesterday?’ his voice sounded oddly gruff, as if he was struggling to make it come out of his lungs.  
  
‘I had a new lead on some information and I had to hit town for a little bit. Turns out, I was right about the info.’ You reply evenly, not revealing too much information.  
  
‘’kay, I’m not gonna ask you more about it.’ He breathes out, giving you the heads up to keep some things for yourself ‘Now, who in the f*cking hell is the motherf*cker that chased you yesterday?’  
  
This time, you sigh and shrug ‘No clue. I had run into him one time that I was investigating behind the cave where the murders happened. I don’t know who he is yet, but he has something to do with the killings, I’m absolutely sure.’  
  
‘Was he the one to chase the living sh!t out of you that time when you got a heart attack?’  
  
You nod once again ‘Yeah, I had gone on the cave to find any clues and run into him.’  
  
‘Wait.’ He turns to look at you, his eyes burning away your skin ‘You went to the cave?’  
  
‘Yeah, didn’t the girls told you?’  
  
He nods vigorously ‘No, they didn’t. Did you find anything in there?’  
  
‘Why are you asking?’ it was your time to question him, raising an eyebrow.  
  
‘Because no one ever got anywhere near the cave after the murders. I bet the place was filled with clues that the police failed to f*cking find.’ He exclaims.  
  
You fish your mobile out of your pocket and shuffling through the pictures you had taken, you offer it to Greg so that he could take a look ‘Actually, I didn’t find anything. Everything was gone long before I got there.’  
  
Greg takes the phone on his hands and starts shuffling through the photographs, his gaze acquiring a skeptical and curious look, making his bushy eyebrows meet above his kind eyes, as his brain is attempting to take in all this information at once. This was not a simple or easy task, so you knew very well that it would take the man a good amount of time to let all that sink in, and thinking about all the other information that you were still withholding from him, it was obvious that maybe he wasn’t prepared for the whole truth yet. Silence once again falls among you, as the tension is so thick, you can practically cut it with a knife if you want to. Yet, you rest your head wearily back, trying to calm both your racing heart and thoughts, knowing that panic was definitely not going to help you.  
  
It seemed like an eternity passed before Greg finally broke the silence.  
  
‘Um, _______?’ he mumbles, turning towards you, eyes still glued to the phone screen ‘Are ya sure that you checked the cave inch by inch?’  
  
You look at him questioningly ‘Of course I did. There was nothing there.’  
  
He nods ‘I think you missed something.’ He says and turns the screen towards you, pointing at a spot near the wall of the cave ‘See, there is a small opening in the wall, easy to not notice.’  
  
‘What the-‘ you mumble, taking the phone on your hands and bringing it closer to your face to study it thoroughly. There was nothing in the picture, just the wall of the cave, more specifically the inner right side of the small cave. The rocks had the same metallic color and there was absolutely nothing out of place…. but when you zoom in a little bit towards the point where Greg pointed, then, you notice something quite strange. There, in the small space between two of the huge rocks, there is a small ray of sunlight. There was a crack on the wall, allowing only a faint ray of sunlight to penetrate the small space. There was an opening that you missed.  
  
Right at that point, you felt your heart sink inside your chest and you mentally face-palmed. How could you miss this? You had to go there once again.  
  
‘You were right. There is a small opening there. I need to go back and investigate.’  
  
In your words, Greg throws you an angry gaze ‘Like hell I’ll let you go back there. Don’t know if you have noticed, but you have a psycho messing with you, sugar!’  
  
‘I don’t give a single f*ck about him. All that matters is to find out what happened to Jack and I’m not stopping at anything!’ you snap at him, the tone of your voice raised and filled with the anger that you had been holding inside of you from the moment the police investigation was dropped. From the moment Jack was gone. From the moment you had lost everything. You didn’t care if you would die; you only cared about the truth. To finally have a closure.  
  
‘Yes, but dying won’t get you anywhere! What good will it be if you are nothing more than a corpse?’ Greg yells back.  
  
‘If you haven’t noticed, I’m already a walking corpse! I am already dead Greg! So I have nothing else to lose! Whatever I loved was taken away from me and now I have no reason to live this hellish excuse of a life, where even my own heart betrayed me! So excuse me if I want to find out what happened to the only man that genuinely cared about me!’ you yell at his face ‘So start the f*cking car, because I have no time to lose!’  
  
‘Fine! But I’m coming with you in that f*cking cave!’ he yells back furiously.  
  
‘Like hell you will!’  
  
‘F*ck you! I failed to protect my best buddy, but I’ll sure as hell protect your dumb #ss! I owe it to Jack and no one else; not even to you!’ he yells, turning the car key and starting the engine with a loud roar.  
  
‘Fine then.’  


_~*~_

  
  
For the very first time in quite a while, you were kind of happy to have allowed Greg to come along with you in the cave, or literally anyone. Firstly because you were quite unsure whether or not you would be able to move the rock and manage to enter the hidden passage by yourself, but also because from the very first moment that you entered the dreaded woods, you were under the really strong impression that thousands of eyes were nailed on you, burning your skin away and watching your every move. Your head was carefully turning from one side to another, allowing your eyes to scan the whole place up, in search of an intruder, but failed to locate anything at all. Was it just simple paranoia that had managed to poison your mind after all the things that happened inside this forest or was it truly someone lurking around inside the shadows? Maybe the masked man? Whatever the hell it was, you were not taking any chances and sticking with someone was surely giving you higher chances of survival. You knew that the man was capable of murder, so going alone was out of the question.  
  
The ride back to campus was a silent one, with Greg driving the pick-up truck looking straight forward, carefully keeping his gaze nailed to the road and with you looking around you at the scenery and popping some pills both for your heart and for the pain in your belly. The man had barely missed your stomach, maybe because you were tossing and turning like a madwoman, something that provided you with the few millimeters that saved your life. A little bit closer and he would have pierced your stomach, leading you to die in just a few seconds. Thankfully the nurse was able to stitch you up once again and you were determined not to see her again for at least a few days. A healthy amount of time.  
  
The walk to the cave was far faster than the previous times, something that you justified by the lack of talking and almost running along the path that lead there. The moment you stepped your foot on the small clearing, one thing was for sure: someone had been there. The vines and small plants that once covered the whole entrance were now cut, allowing a clear view to the inside of the cave.  
  
Immediately, your feet come to a stop and Greg beside you notices your hesitation immediately, as your face falls on a serious mask, eyeing the place up.  
  
‘Everything okay?’ he says, keeping his voice low and collected, obviously sensing that something was amiss.  
  
‘Someone’s been here. We better be careful.’ You only say, taking your phone out and starting to take pictures of the place once again, as you walk inside the cave.  
  
In there, it is quite obvious as well that someone had been messing around with the stuff. The rotten books were missing and the various stuff that you had found, were thrown against the walls with what seemed like immense power, either breaking small parts of the wall, or breaking said items in half. Whoever was in here, he was not happy at all. He was searching something maybe? If yes, then what? You had searched this whole place up and found nothi- the small passage!  
  
‘I think it’s here.’ Greg’s voice suddenly comes from the inner side of the cave and you rush beside him, shoving your phone in your pocket and looking at the black wall.  
  
‘Are you sure about this?’ you ask.  
  
‘Yeah, there is a wind current that comes from the side. We might be able to move it.’ He observes, grabbing the side of the rock and nodding to you with a big smile ‘Help me with this thingy, sugar.’  
  
‘Okay, here we go.’ You sigh, grabbing the rock as well.  
  
‘One….two…THREE!’ Greg gives the okay to go.  
  
Both of you pull with all your might, trying to move the immovable boulder out of the way and discover what was hidden behind. Your delicate fingers grab the rock with all their might, as if it was a life or death situation and you push with everything your petite body could provide you with, growling loudly and trying to take some steps back in order to move it more easily. Right beside you, Greg’s muscles flex and tighten as he also pulls along, but the rock remains at place. After a few more moments, you abandon your first try and try to catch your breath, before you attempt once again. It would be fairly easy for anyone to attack you right now, so you bear in mind to keep an eye out in the entrance of the cave for any potential visitors, but thankfully, luck is by your side this time around.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity of furiously pulling that stubborn rock, on your very fifth attempt, the boulder yield and starts moving backwards, obeying to your attempts to get it out of the way. The air courses inside the dark cave hard and bright light illuminates the small opening as you open it just enough to allow an easy entrance.  
  
When you are sure that it’s enough, you let go and try to catch your breath.  
  
‘God dammit, it was hella harder than I it looked.’ Greg breathes out wearily, bending over and resting his hands on his knees.  
  
‘Oh….really? Try that without the muscles then.’ You joke and playfully shove him a little bit, before you reach for your phone ‘So, are you ready?’  
  
‘I was born ready gorgeous.’ He winks, straightening his body.  
  
‘Let’s hit it then.’ You say decisively and step into the opening, with the man following you close behind.  
  
Even if the sky outside was covered by clouds, the strong sunlight that penetrated the room managed to blind you instantly, making both of you throw a hand over your eyes and gasp in surprise. This was totally different from the dark cave where you were previously, but the humidity that hanged heavily from the air let you know that you were not out in the open, but in some well-lit place inside the cave. So, when you finally adjusted to the light, you took a look around.  
  
Only to feel your heart drop inside your chest.  
  
You were indeed, still inside the cave. The rocks were towering still all around you, supporting the ceiling that hanged not too far above your heads. This room was nothing like the main entrance of the cave; no, it was circular and quite spacious, enough for five people to stand inside of it with no problem at all. The floor was coved by what appeared to be hay, that was thrown in there so long ago, that it had already started to rot in some places, giving its spot to the mushrooms that grew on some sides of the room. The air was oozing by the smell of rot and humidity, making it hard to breathe in, let alone breathe in deeply. But it was neither the hay nor the mushrooms that made horror bloom like roses in a vast field inside your heart.  
  
For a split second, you couldn’t decide which was more sanity drenching; the millions of half burnt white candles that were decorating the place all around you, or the horrific statue that was occupying the space right in the middle of the room? Gazing around you, you allowed your brain to firstly take in the sight of the candles. They were literally everywhere; starting from the floor, they occupied all the walls, reaching high towards the ceiling, eating away all the space and giving you the feeling like you had just stepped foot inside a church. Many of them had already started to melt, their wax having formed white stalactites that were trapped into the edges of the rock, unable to make their way to the ground, due to the lack of enough heat. They were left here ages ago and you only dreaded to see what this whole place looked like when all of them were lit.  
  
And then, there was the statue.  
  
All merciful God that is in Heaven, a demon had broken loose from hell itself and transformed into this statue; nothing else would be enough to explain the pure horror that it transmitted to you.  
  
The base of the statue was covered by candles as well, but this was nothing compared to its figure. Its body was long and tall, towering well above your head even without the need for a raised base; it was apparently wearing a cloak, that was long and reached down to cover its feet, made purely out of some kind of black marble. Yet all else paled in comparison with its face. And that was what made you struggle to withhold your screams. It had the face of a demon; the face was horribly distorted, with the mouth hanging open and three different tongues coming out, distorting the already horrible face into that of maniacal frenzy. Two huge horns were protruding from each side of its head, but what drew your attention, was its eyes. Just two empty black sockets, completely deprived by the presence of eyes, while black, tar-like liquid appeared to have dripped down from its ‘eyes’ frozen in place after so many years. It was a hellish picture, that you were sure it was going to haunt you to the grave.  
  
‘Jesus Christ.’ Greg whispered beside you and from the corner of your eyes you saw him cross himself and start mumbling some kind of prayer.  
  
You couldn’t blame him; you would probably pray too if you weren’t frozen.  
  
‘What in the Christ’s name is that?’ the boy exhaled beside you, unable to take his eyes off the statue.  
  
In the sound of his voice, something snapped inside of you ‘Ch….Chernobog. Th-this is Chernobog!’ you breathe out, panic starting to tickle the edges of your mind.  
  
‘Hell.’ He exclaims ‘Well, f*ck me, these guys were in some seriously deep sh!t!’  
  
Ignoring his words, you gaze around you wide-eyed, as the pieces finally fit with each other inside your mind. This is not just a room; this is a shrine. A shrine to Chernobog. Jenny was in fact in a cult or at least attempted to be. And the man in the blue mask was out to erase any traces that lead to this cult. To this place. To the murdered people. To Jack.  
  
As the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place, you realize one thing; you have to get out of here. Now.  
  
Under Greg’s surprised gaze, you literally eject yourself towards the statue-gargoyle, stomping onto the candles mindlessly and reaching out your hand that fished a small bottle out of your bag, you place it on the statue’s cheeks and take a small part of the ‘tears’ that were cascading down its face, before you shove it back into your bag. Then, you take some hasty pictures and once you are done, you grab Greg and exit the room as fast as you can. The man is taken aback for a few seconds, but the moment you are out of the cave, his brain clicks.  
  
‘What the hell was that?’ he demands to know, almost running behind you.  
  
‘This was some serious sh!t. I have a theory, but first we have to get away from this place and never come back!’ you practically scream, letting go of his hand and starting to run inside the forest that was only now beginning to be even more humid, as rain was starting to cascade the dark skies.  
  
The man started running behind you, sensing the terror in your voice. And it was good for him; because if you were right, you had just stepped in in something far more dangerous than a simple disappearance.  
  
‘Follow me Greg! I’ll explain everything once we are in my room!’ you yell and he obeys.  
  
By the time you exited the forest, it was raining so much, that you were drenched to the bone. Yet, nothing like the security that the campus provided you, made you feel genuinely safe, so you ran wordlessly towards your room. You struggled with your keys and when you managed to unlock it, you flung the door open. Only to feel your heart drop once again.  
  
There, right across from the door and into the window, was a message left in the humidity of the glass. Only two words and a full handprint.  
  
_Stay away._


	7. Chapter 7 Don’t You Cry

The pills inside the bottle rang harshly as you popped it open violently and took three of them out, throwing your head back with a swift move and downing them with no actual need for water. You were pacing up and down your small college room, with such big and frantic steps, that it took you only a few seconds to walk the whole space up, with your eyes turning either to the humid window of your room or onto the wall that was right beside the entrance door. You were pacing up and down, being completely aware of Greg who was sitting on your small bed, reading through some of the information you had managed to gather after so many days here, days that even if it were just two or three weeks, seemed like a true eternity had passed by you and you hadn’t even noticed.  
  
The heavy rain was continuing to cascade the vast skies, watering lavishly the green sea of trees and grass that spread beyond your window and all over the rest of the campus, but this time around, the soft, lulling sound of the water did nothing to calm down your nerves and only added to your utter paranoia and terror that had seized your heart, like a tight monstrous grip with sharp claws. It was as if you were gazing at the campus for the very first time; right across from your window was nothing more but the beginning of the forest, with the tree-line appearing more threatening than it did before. Because as the vast grass stopped and the trees began, the soft moisture caused by the rain created a faint, silver mist that covered the grounds, shining like a soft blanket, made out of the softest silk. Yet, it only added to the creepiness of the shadows that spread mercilessly, making you wonder if there was something looking at you from within. It send you the chills and the warning you had found on your window the moment you entered your room, did nothing to calm you down and even scared you even more. Because you were absolutely sure who had written it. You knew it was _him_. He had managed to find out where you were staying, so for the time being, you would abandon all investigations, until you are sure there is no chance to meet him ever again. Because the findings inside the cave did nothing to reassure you that you hadn’t gotten yourself inside a true nightmare.  
  
‘Holy f*ck, you have really found a lot of things!’ Greg suddenly exclaims, looking up from the papers to look at the pacing you ‘I don’t think the police even has all that stuff.’  
  
‘Because they didn’t look enough. All these, are stuff I found on the cave and on the library, nothing else.’ You say, without interrupting your walk.  
  
‘So you believe that this dude that attacked you was staying at the small room with that creepy gargoyle we found?’ he repeats your earlier talk, shuffling through the photos once more.  
  
You nod ‘I have a strong feeling that it was like that. I still don’t know if he was part of the cult or not, but I’m sure as hell that he was staying in there.’  
  
Greg’s face suddenly lit up, machining you arc your eyebrow ‘Maybe he knows were Jack is!’  
  
‘I don’t know.’ You sigh ‘If he does know, then Jack might already be dead. He wasn’t too kind with me snooping around, so imagine if he ran into Jack in the cave.’  
  
‘Ya right, sugar. Yet, you should have told me if you had found yourself in such deep sh!t.’ he breathes out wearily, leaning his head back and nailing his tired and remorseful gaze at you.  
  
‘What was I supposed to do?! I had absolutely no idea that he was able to chase me here. I had suspicions that he could kill, but not so freely.’ You exclaim, terror seizing your mind all over again, making you feel paranoid ‘I can’t risk him finding me here or worse, charging in here. But I am really sorry to have you involved in all this Greg, it really wasn’t my intention to do so.’  
  
‘You don’t have to worry yourself sugar. As I said, I owe it to Jack to protect you and I intend to do so. No blue-masked dude ain’t gonna stop me from keeping my promise to him.’ he smiles a little bit.  
  
In his kind words that are full of determination, you can do nothing else but smile back at him, feeling grateful that Jack had such a devoted friend by his side when he was still around. It was a real blessing if you looked at it from a positive view.  
  
‘Thank you for that Greg, still I’m not going to-‘  
  
Your words were abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door. The sound shot a shiver down your spine, as both you and Greg nailed your eyes onto the wooden piece that blocked the opening on the wall, holding your breaths and increasing your heartbeats unwillingly. Death-like silence fell among you so fast, that you were absolutely sure that if a pin dropped, it would sound like a gunshot. Without a second thought, your mind creates every possible scenario that there is, from the possibility of just being some random person outside the door, to the possibility that the blue-masked man is outside.  
  
So when the knock sounds once again, your heart drops even more.  
  
‘______ ? Are you inside?’ a familiar girly voice says, coming from behind it. The relief that washed over you at this sound was unimaginable.  
  
‘I’m coming Sam!’ you say to the girl, as you walk up to the door and once you open it, you barely have time to even register the sea of blonde and red hair that blurred your vision completely, as two pairs of hands wrap around you mercilessly, knocking the air out of your lungs and pulling you inside a death-hug.  
  
‘Thank God you are okay ______!’ you hear an obviously relieved Gabby exclaim.  
  
‘If you have a death-wish girl, I can kill you myself next time! Don’t you dare go anywhere outside our vicinity anymore! That f*cking psycho can be anywhere!’ Sam swears out.  
  
‘Girls, I think you are crashing her.’ Greg laughs, unable to do anything else in front of the cute moment that unfolds itself before his eyes. That, and also the fact that you had turned somehow blue from the lack of oxygen.  
  
‘Oh, you’re here too Greg?’ Gabby turns to her boyfriend, as the two of them release you from their deadly grip. Never had you been so happy to inhale the almost cold air.  
  
‘Yeah, I’d been helping around with some evidence.’  
  
‘What brings you here girls? Would you like to come in?’ you offer at them, smiling a bit to reassure them that you were okay.  
  
‘No, no, we just came straight here to see you when we found out you had returned!’ Sam gives you a bright smile ‘And since you are up and about..’ she turns to Gabby, whose face lit up so much, you thought she would have a happiness heart-attack.  
  
‘We thought to celebrate a little bit after everything went well, so we thought it would be great to attend a party! One of the Houses here is hosting one tonight, so it will the perfect chance to blow off some steam! What do you say _____?’ she smiles, her innocence-filled eyes nailing themselves on your (e/c) own.  
  
‘Well I don’t-‘  
  
‘You are coming _____ and that’s a warning.’ Sam detects your hesitation immediately and steps in ‘We won’t take no for an answer and if we have to, we shall carry you!’ she winks.  
  
‘Then, I have no saying to this.’ you chuckle a little bit, allowing their enthusiasm infect you as well. You really didn’t want to go, but it would be a shame to turn them down after they have been nothing but kind to you.  
  
‘Perfect! See you at eleven!’  


~*~

  
  
It was a quarter past ten when you came out of the bathroom, completely clean due to your quick shower and refreshed to the bone. Gazing around at your brightly lit room with the towel still wrapped carefully around you, you sigh deeply. From the moment you had agreed to go along with the others to the party, you knew immediately that it was going to be a complete pain and waste of precious time, but since they had all treated you so kindly, you were obliged to go along with them. Gabby and even Sam seemed to be quite ecstatic about it and they even dropped by to choose your clothes for you, since they wanted all three of you to have similar outfits. Now, the pair of jeans and the black tank top were resting lazily on your bed, waiting for you to put them on.  
  
Walking up to the only mirror that you had inside the room, you carefully start to comb your wet hair, but not before you turn your radio on, allowing the sweet and upbeat music to fill the eerie silence of your room. Lady Gaga’s voice pounded loudly from the small radio, echoing and soon enough, engulfing you into the sound of her song. Grabbing the hair dryer, you turn it on and allow the happiness of going out for the first time after so many years to sink in.  
  
‘ _I couldn’t love a man so purely. Even prophets forgave his crooked way. I’ve learned love is like a brick you can….Build a house or sink a dead body!! I’ll bring him down, bring him down, down!’_  
  
Nice going ____! Your hair looks perfect; now just add some hairspray and they will be ready. You still got this even after so much time.  
  
‘ _I’m just a Holy Fool,_ _oh baby he’s so cruel but I’m still in love with Judas, baby! I’m just a Holy Fool, oh baby he’s so cruel but I’m still in love with Judas, baby.’_  
  
When was the last time you had gone out? If you remember correctly, it was the night that Jack found out that he got accepted in college. The two of you had hit town as soon as night fell and didn’t come back home before the sun was high up in the sky. You were severely punished for being so late and forbidden to go out for a week, but who the hell cared that time around, you had the time of your life, going from bar to bar and toasted to Jack’s success and the time you would get the hell out of that hellhole. Even if you were drinking underage, no one really noticed inside the huge crowds of people, so when the time to return came, Jack made sure to return you safely to your bed, not only carrying you bridal style and with you laughing like a maniac inside his arms, but managed to climb all the way to the first floor and place you on the bed before he creeped out towards his own house. What great times!  
  
Throwing just one final gaze on your outfit, you smile at your reflection, grateful about the fact that the girls didn’t go for something too extravagant. This night was going to be a blast! Grabbing your purse and keys, you exit your room, closing and locking the door behind you. You downright ignore Helen and her friends that are throwing dagger looks towards you from further down the corridor and make your way proudly towards the main entrance. Once you pass the huge double doors, the first thing you notice is that the rain had finally stopped, leaving behind the moist grass to glow under the streetlamps, with the small drops of water reflecting the orange light. Still, the piercing cold hadn’t subsided one bit and you regretted your decision not to take a coat along, but once your gaze fixed into four figures in the distance, all other worries dropped immediately.  
  
Gabby and Sam were waving towards you from the distance, with Sam wearing a pair of jeans and converse, matched with a green tank top which matched perfectly with her long blonde hair that were up in a messy bun. Right beside her, Gabby was wearing a short black dress, with her strawberry red hair falling on a luxurious waterfall of curls all around her face. Even the boys had left aside their usual t-shirts and were now wearing shirts and jeans. Greg seemed to feel the least comfortable with his jelled hair, but Gale seemed to feel rather comfortable, as he had shoved his hands in his pockets and was watching you as you walked up to them, a wide smirk adorning his rather beautiful face.  
  
‘Well, look who’s a complete different person!’ Greg teased you, eyeing you up and down, making you arc your eyebrow and smile.  
  
‘Oh yes Greg, I’m a girl too.’ You joke, sticking your tongue out to him playfully.  
  
‘And what a girl… Gorgeous.’ Gale comments.  
  
‘Gale wipe your drool off your face, it’s dripping on the floor.’ Sam throws at the tall man, passing her hand on your elbow.  
  
‘You look lovely ______.’ Gabby smiles and takes your other elbow, and soon enough, the three of you start walking towards an unknown direction.  
  
‘Well, I owe it to you girls. You picked the clothes.’ You give them a small, sincere smile.  
  
‘Clothes don’t matter. It’s the inside that matters.’ Gabby smiles.  
  
‘Tell that to Gale who was ready to faint once he saw her.’ Sam teases mercilessly.  
  
‘Hey!’ Gale’s voice sounds from somewhere behind you ‘I was not!’  
  
‘You don’t convince us Gale. Thankfully for _____, she already likes Jack, so she is safe from you.’ Sam continues with a huge grin.  
  
‘Sam, how many tim-‘  
  
‘Shhh’ Sam interrupts you and winks ‘We have arrived.’  
  
In her words, you turn your head and look ahead, only for your eyes to open wide with surprise. The only house that is lit in the whole street of the campus is currently overflowing by people, so much that it is a wonder how on earth they are managing not to step on each other. They are so many, that make you wonder if the whole campus had arrived to celebrate together, as you notice just now the loud house music that is pumping hard on the speakers that are spread on the nearby trees, making your heart skip many beats, in order to synchronize with the music. People are going up and down, some girls already dancing on the side of the road and a large group of guys are raising their cups and throwing their heads back, downing all the liquid and proceeding to laugh hard with each other. The whole scenery reminded you of movies about the teen years and the parties they had, and since you had never gone to something similar, you were absolutely taken aback by the view.  
  
Around you, the rest of your friends yell excitedly, with Greg taking Gabby’s hand and Sam fist-pumping the air while yelling loudly and excitedly, but it’s not until you feel a hand pass on your shoulders that your mind returns to reality. Looking up, you meet with the kind face of Gale, who is looking down to you and smiling smugly.  
  
‘Don’t tell me that the investigator is scared of a little party.’ He jokes, winking at you.  
  
‘Of course not.’ You instantly lie.  
  
‘Let’s hit it then!’ he says, leading you inside with a firm grip on your shoulders, as if he was sensing your uneasiness.  
  
If you thought that the real party was happening outside, then it was paling in comparison to the hell that was happening inside. From what you could see, the house must have been vast when it wasn’t so crowded by people, but now, there was barely enough space to move around, as the rest of the students were dancing their souls away, moving their bodies to the sound of the music that pounded hard, completely sunken inside a colorful mid-light, since the blue, purple and white lights were dancing along among them, allowing their hearts to be completely devoured by the heat of the moment, where the wild music and the plenty alcohol was running in abundance.  
  
Gale lead you into the place where the girls and Greg were and the moment Sam and Gabby set their eyes on you, they both grabbed your hands and pulled you along with them, the three of your starting to dance to the sound of the amazing songs. At first you were hesitant a little bit; you were both not used to such huge crowds and to dancing as well, but after the very first five minutes, you found yourself being completely engulfed into the sound of Gasolina by Daddy Yankee. Your body was now moving out of its own free will, your hips and torso moving to the beat of the song, in a way that could not be recognized as ‘sloppy’ or ‘unattractive’ to any person that was looking at you. For the first moment since forever, your mind went completely numb and void, washing away all the troubles and pain for the loss of Jack, forgetting completely who you were and what you were doing there, surrendering to your inner instincts which were filled with the need to have fun. Just for once. Just for this night and return to the harsh and hurtful reality tomorrow. But tonight was your night.  
  
Tonight, you would have fun till you pass out.  
  
At some point a wild round of alcohol appeared and as you went to grab one of the cups, you felt a hand grab yours and turning, you saw Greg looking at you with seriousness and worry painting his kind eyes. He mouthed if you were sure about drinking, since your heart condition might not be able to stand it, but knowing better, you offered him a huge cat smile, grabbing one of the cups and downing it with one gulp. The unidentified liquid burned the back of your throat badly, but instead of turning down the next round, you grabbed one and downed it once again. For once, you wanted something else to hurt you other than Jack’s disappearance.  
  
The night continued inside the very same haze that was a mix of loud music and alcohol. The people where having the time of their lives, completely set free of the worries and responsibilities of everyday life and surrendered their bodies to the wild music that acted like some kind of drug to their beating hearts, energizing them to the fullest and freeing them. There was nothing in the world that could destroy such an epic moment, where the bodies were dancing as one single soul and the electricity on the air was almost tangible. And as if all that weren’t enough, the two friends that organized the whole party, decided that it would be great if they had a karaoke showdown. The winner would get a whole bottle of white Tequila and the loser would get pranked. And how did they decide the contestants? They simply threw the microphone to the crowd three times and whoever grabbed it first, would sing.  
  
The first time was a complete failure, not because no one got the microphone, but because the song that the dude was called to sing was too much out of his league. Needless to say, he didn’t even make it to the end, since he was so bad, that the crowd demanded him to stop. The second one though was purely perfect, since the girl nailed the song Elastic Heart by Sia. But when the third throw came, everyone, including the one that grabbed the microphone was surprised. Because the one who did, was Sam.  
  
‘What the hell do I do?’ she screamed, looking at you and Gabby, holding the microphone as if it was a bomb ready to go off ‘I can’t sing sh!t.’  
  
‘I’ve got it no worries!’ you throw your hand over her shoulders and grab the microphone, looking up at the screen that revealed the lyrics and smiling so widely, your cheeks hurt.  
  
‘ _Baby, I'm preying on you tonight, hunt you down eat you alive, just like animals, animals, like animals-mals. Maybe you think that you can hide; I can smell your scent from miles, just like animals, animals, like animals-mals. Baby, I'm_ ’  
  
Sam’s eyes had grown as wide as dinner plates, while Gabby hugged you with all her might, as everyone was looking at you surprised that you were absolutely nailing the song, even better than the second girl.  
  
‘ _So what you trying to do to me? It's like we can't stop we're enemies, but we get along when I'm inside you…You're like a drug that's killing me, I cut you out entirely but I get so high when I'm inside you….! Yeah, you can start over, you can run free, you can find other fish in the sea; you can pretend it's meant to be but you can't stay away from me. I can still hear you making that sound, taking me down, rolling on the ground, you can pretend that it was me…but no….Baby, I'm preying on you tonight, hunt you down eat you alive; just like animals, animals, like animals-mals_! _Maybe you think that you can hide; I can smell your scent from miles, just like animals, animals, like animals-mals…Baby, I'm’_  
  
You were absolutely winning this Tequila tonight. No one was going to beat you and you would make sure about this.  
  
‘ _So if I run it's not enough; You're still in my head forever stuck…So you can do what you wanna do!!! I love your lies, I'll eat 'em up, but don't deny the animal that comes alive when I'm inside you!!! Yeah, you can start over you can run free; you can find other fish in the sea..You can pretend it's meant to be but you can't stay away from me!!! I can still hear you making that sound, taking me down rolling on the ground, you can pretend that it was me….But no!’_  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
Rain….rain was once again cascading the luxurious black skies, making its way towards the thirsty ground in small drops of heavenly water, allowing the plants and trees to once again get the liquid that is most valuable for their lives. But this time, it wasn’t the stormy weather that used to scare you so much when you were young, nor were you waiting for Jack to sneak inside your bedroom and try to calm you down with some of his horrible puns, taking your mind away from the monstrous thunders that made your windows creak. No, this time, the rain was as gentle as a feather that was brushing ever so softly against your face and it wasn’t Jack that was carrying you, but Greg.  
  
The last thing you remembered from the wild party was dancing with Gale, before the floor started coming rapidly towards you, yet a pair of sturdy arms were quick to grab you. At first, you thought that it was Jack. The relief and pure happiness that washed over you was so strong, that tears of joy overflowed from your eyes, as you wrapped your hands around the man’s neck for dear life, only to discover that it was Greg. Not Jack. Jack was still missing.  
  
Your best friends buddy had immediately seen your distressed state and decided that it was for your best to take you back home himself, since you were in no position to walk, or even do anything else but cry. And God, how much were you crying. The pain inside your heart for Jack disappearance had blinded you once again, literally drowning you inside your agonizing pain, but instead of screaming like you wanted to, your body only provided you with silent tears that cascaded your face as you rested your head against Greg’s shoulder.  
  
‘How are you feeling ______?’ the blonde man asked softly, trying for the first time tonight to take your mind away from the pain. Silently, he was feeling sorry for you and wanted to provide you with just some moments of relaxation, as the both of you made your way towards the dorms through the soft rain.  
  
‘I~I’m f~ine.’ You manage to mumble both through your tears and drunk state ‘No~ woiies…’  
  
‘You really aren’t a heavy drinker huh? You only had a few shots of that Tequila.’ He jokes, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
‘I~I ‘an ‘andle me-self. Feve drinks a~are not-ing…!’ you pull a wide smile.  
  
‘I can see that.’ he laughs ‘Well, you did win that singing contest, so it was fair to get drunk as a goose, sugar. Didn’t know you had it in ya.’  
  
‘Oh, I g~ot it Reg.’ You exclaim suddenly, looking up to meet with his kind eyes ‘M~y stepdad Ja~ake took me si-si-sing’ng at rondom ‘treets ‘very day. _‘’_-____, ya moust contribute to da house i~f you wanna live here!’’_ he used to say….Ooooooh, I-I’m so g~g~glad I ran away!’ you exhale and lean back once again ‘Wo-rking on da ‘trees isn’t e~easy, but J~Jack always took my s~adness a~way! Then one day, POOF! He left meh….he disappeared!...and he left me ‘lone….my Jack….MY J~ack…’  
  
Even among the haziness of your mind, you can clearly feel Greg’s jaw tighten ‘Your stepdad doesn’t sound like a good man, sugar.’  
  
You nod vigorously ‘N~Noooo! Ja~ke is a b~b~bad man!....A ve’y bad, BAD man ~Reg. Ya sho’ld st~ay away from J~ake. O~only Jack was good to meh….My Jack…’  
  
‘You love him don’t you sugar?’ the man asks, his voice softening and filling with sadness for your pain. It wasn’t just him that had a hard time after what happened to Jack. There was a far more tortured soul that suffered in the worst possible way…  
  
For a little bit, you remain quiet, leading Greg to think that you hadn’t heard him, but as he opens his mouth to ask you again, he hears you sigh.  
  
‘G-eah…..I l~ove ‘im so much….’ You mumble, as you eyelids finally close.  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
You were lying against a really soft surface. Pain was resonating through your whole body, that appeared to be strangely numb and sore, maybe the aftermath of drinking so much tonight. Your brain was still playing the pleasant dream right before your very own eyes, were the younger versions of you and Jack were once again together, playing on the front lawn of your houses without the worries and pain that your harsh lives had brought to you. The heavy feeling inside your heart was like an immovable boulder that did not allow you to enjoy even these few fractions of happiness; the moments were your own self was overjoyed by happiness. You were smiling and crying all at the same time. Because you knew that this was a dream, that you would wake up and find yourself once again alone, but just for this once, you were allowing yourself to feel free.  
  
Then, out of the blue hot drops of water started landing on your face inside the dream, but looking up to the clear sky of your dream, there was no explanation for that, as well as the extra weight that you felt pushing you down for some unknown reason. For rain, the drops were extremely hot and very few. Then, without the slightest hint or warning, the dream changed. Suddenly, you were no longer in the sunny streets of your hometown, but inside the complete darkness that was only broken by a luminescent navy-blue mask that was looking down at you with black tears dripping down from the dark eye-sockets.  
  
It was kind of surreal. It was strange just finding yourself looking deep down into that abyssal-like eyes which you could make out nothing of, but instead of being completely scared by your unexpected nightmare, you were feeling nothing like fear. Instead, for some unknown and even alien reason, you were feeling sad. Yeah, there was something sad in the whole aura of that navy blue mask and its tears, that made new tears flow from your eyes, as if some kind of pain was resonating from it, all the way to you.  
  
Without controlling it, you saw your (s/c) hand being raised in the air out of its own free will and cup the side of the crying mask, where the cheek must have been.  
  
‘Don’t worry.’ You hear yourself mumble through your tears ‘There is nothing to worry about.’ You offer a small smile ‘Don’t you cry anymore.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song you were singing at the party is Animals by Maroon 5 :P


	8. Chapter 8 Fight To Stay Alive

When the sun brought upon you the next day, everyone around campus were quite puzzled as to if day had really came, or the sun was still desperately trying to make his way on the vast, covered by a thick layer of clouds, sky. And that was, because the light that was supposed to illuminate the ground was as dim as it was eerie. The dark clouds that covered the sky were almost black, denying the luxurious rays of light from reaching the ground and the faint light that did manage to surpass the impregnable fortress, was so faint, that gave the whole place a tint of apocalyptic scenery. It was sanity drenching for the random people that chose to abandon the safety of their building and venture out into this particular weather, but in a campus filled with people and with lessons going on all day long, it was something that couldn’t be avoided.  
  
And as if the plain dark sky wasn’t enough, the whole nightmarish mood came to be intensified by the rain that fell nonstop. It wasn’t just falling gently; no, it was like a billion different bullets that were cascading from the skies, only to come in hard contact with any surface that was in their way, either it was a student or the plain grounds of the campus. This had an immediate effect with the students and now all the grounds were completely empty, with rare exceptions of some brave students that were determined not to lose their lessons. The humidity was heavy and the whole place smelled of soil and water, something that became even more evident as a heavy mist covered the ground, shining brightly with her haunting silver hue, illuminated every now and then by the thunders that made their way towards the tallest of trees, striking them mercilessly and tearing them in half.  
  
Looking out of the window of the science lab, you couldn’t help but think that this was what Greg meant about the storms around here. It was terrifying to see this even if you were inside a building, protected and dry, yet the rain continued to beat the glass as hard as it could. You were currently stuck inside the science lab of the college, listening very faintly to the professor that provided with some information about the proper use of the microscopes, after one of the other students managed to break the one he had in front of him. Sighing lightly, you focus your gaze once again on your own microscope, cutting out all the rest of noises, focusing on the matter at hand.   
  
You were stuck going from class to class today, desperately trying to focus on the lessons and keep notes about them and barely managing to exchange a few words with Sam and Gabby in the lunch break. The three of you were still pretty hangover from the wild night yesterday, shortening your meals to only include some chicken and soup, since none of your stomachs could handle anything else. True horror stories came out of the girls mouths, who giggled loudly as they told you that at some point, you had grabbed Gale and things between you had gotten pretty heated, yet you still seemed not to understand what you were doing- not that Gale minded much. Only in the mere thought, you wanted to pour pure acid on your brain to fry your consciousness as a punishment for your stupidity and frankly, the teasing you got from the girls was only intensifying your need to cut off your hands since you felt them as alien in the thought that you had them around Gale’s neck. Not that he was bad, but because your own stupidity had lead you to show the wrong messages. God helped you though, not to do anything more _stupid_ that would lead you to go back to that hill that you had fallen the week before and dive willingly this time.  
  
Though, it wasn’t the fact that you danced with Gale nor that you got yourself so drunk that you couldn’t remember anything about last night that bothered you to no ends. It was the strange dream you had seen that haunted your conscience even now that you were awake, distracting you so much that you barely had a clue about what was happening around you. It was the fact that you had dreamt about the blue-masked man being inside your own room- inside the very last safe sanctuary that you had to protect you from the monsters around you. Was it a dream? You couldn’t exactly know for sure and that was what terrified you to insanity. It sure felt like a dream and how was it possible for him to just walk inside your room, completely unnoticed by anyone? Then, if it was a dream, then why the absolute hell was your hand marked by a red mark, exactly where the black ‘tears’ had touched it in your dream? And as if that wasn’t enough, your left hand, the one that you had hurt while falling off that cliff, was aching you today more than it did some days back, completely out of the blue.  
  
It was more than strange and the fact that you couldn’t remember clearly, only intensified the need for some answers, which you searched for, for some time now into the lab. Looking at the microscope, you were examining the two black substances that you had found both outside the cave and inside of it, desperately trying to see if they could provide you with some clues. It was evident upon examinations that both of them matched with the other perfectly, if you excluded the fact that one of them was old and dried out and the other one was relatively fresh. Yet, you were unable to pinpoint what was made of. You could recognize some of the ingredients, like the liquid concrete and the carbon, but the rest of them were a complete mystery.  
  
‘How are you handling things (y/l/n)?’ a voice sounded suddenly, making you nearly have a heart attack from your fright. Looking up from your microscope though, your eyes fall on the professor, whose deep black eyes are nailed on you. He must be around seventy years old, since his hair were pure white and the wrinkles around his eyes were deeper from the ones a younger one would have.  
  
‘Um, I can’t identify some of the ingredients on a strange substance I found. Can you please take a look?’ you suggest, pushing the microscope towards the man. It was the perfect opportunity to get professional help, without raising any suspicions.  
  
The professor wordlessly brought the microscope towards him and leaned in, examining the two substances. For some time, he remained completely quiet, his face betraying absolutely no emotion and you were just left there, waiting for him to say something; literally anything would be of great help for you right now, so when he sighed and leaned back, pinching his nose with his fingers, you were literally hanging on the edge for some answers.  
  
‘Well, it appears that this substance is a really strange one. What did you find in it?’ he turns towards you.  
  
‘I found a high amount of carbon and liquid concrete, something that is kind of strange because they were not in solid form as they should be..’  
  
‘Correct. It also contains some kind of black ink, along with liquid iron, something that is impossible. The decay is heavy on the second substance and the first one has traces of soil and leaves on it, yet I am positively sure that they are the same. Some of the ingredients I could not identify myself, which is odd. Where did you find this?’ he asks, resting his hand on your table.  
  
In response, you just shrug ‘I found it on the corner of the parking lot, so I thought to check them out, because the second one, I found it on a nearby tree.’  
  
‘Well, would you mind if I took the samples to study them some more? It’s not every day that I find something like this.’ he cracks a small smile.  
  
‘Well, sure. Would you be so kind as to let me know what you find though?’  
  
‘Of course. Of course.’ He smiles right as the school bell rings ‘Class dismissed. I’ll see you in a few days (y/l/n).’  
  
Taking your books and stuffing them messily inside your bag, you thank the professor for his help as he takes the samples and you make your way out of the classroom. It seemed like an eternity passed since you begun the lessons today morning and now that was late in the afternoon, the only thing you wanted to do, was to crash on your bed and sleep till tomorrow. Positively exhausted, you make your way towards the exit, still keeping your head held high, despite your eyes that were a bit droopy. None of your friends were close by, something that you were somewhat grateful about, since you were in no mood for chit-chat. Grabbing some food from the cafeteria, you inhale deeply, gathering your courage and will and make the brave step to go out in the torrential rain.  
  
Darkness has fallen faster than you first thought, but the blackness of the night is every-so-often disturbed by the violent flashes of light that come from the thunders. Lowering your head to protect it from the rain, you don’t even bother taking your umbrella out, since it would be a complete waste of time as you make your way hastily, towards the protection of your dorm room; as a result, you are soaking wet in no time at all. As you walk, you notice that all around you, Mother Nature is venturing her sheer anger to everything that is on her path; the ground has already formed large pools of water and the tree trunks are creaking and almost bending down on the ground as the powerful wind pushes them with all his might. The whole pandemonium around you can only be described with two words: dangerously beautiful. Yes, everything was either pushed to its limits or destroyed, but nonetheless, gave off a haunting aura of danger and insane beauty that could easily captivate any soul inside its murky and dangerous waters. That was the true beauty of nature; no one could ever say no and you couldn’t say that she was good or bad; nature just was. A dangerous, yet hauntingly captivating force.  
  
Passing the huge double doors, you walk towards your own room, fishing your keys out of your pocket, promptly shoving them inside the lock and turning them, you open the door and pass inside the warmth and coziness of your room. Turning the lights on and sighing heavily, you shove your bag towards a random corner. After the coldness of the rain, it was a perfect time to take a nice and relaxing bath to help you calm down and sleep peacefully; for tonight at least.  
  
Making sure to lock the front door, you walk inside your bathroom and start stripping off. Yet, you forgot one single thing: your radio.  
  
Wearing only your panties, you walk back to your room, grab the radio and return to the bathroom. You make sure to turn it on, before you step inside the shower, turning the faucet on and allowing the Mordor-like water to wash away the fatigue of the day. In a matter of seconds, the effects of the sweet music and the water start to take their toll on you, as you start to feel a bit like jello and frankly, you are happy about it.  
  
‘ _Don’t wanna be sly and defile you, desecrate my mind and rely on you; I just wanna break this crown, but it’s hard when I’m so run down….And you’re so cynical, Narcissistic Cannibal! Got to bring myself back from the dead…!’_ you sang calmly to the tone, pouring some of your favorite jasmine scented bath foam into your sponge and beginning to cleanse your tired body ‘ _Sometimes, I hate, the life, I made; everything’s wrong every time… Pushing on I can’t escape, everything that comes my way; is haunting me taking its sweet time….Holding on I’m lost in the haze, fighting life to the end of my days..’_  
  
The more you allowed your mind to relax and take a small break doing the only thing that relaxed you and cleared your thoughts, the more your thoughts revolved around the various clues that you had found about Jack’s case, connecting and going over whatever was left at a loose end. Firstly, there was all the clues that the five people had kept captured someone right in front of the cave, who then somehow managed to free himself and attack them, killing most of them instantly. Then, it was the strange man with the blue mask that never failed to find his way towards you, almost chasing you away from discovering any potential clues that could help you solve the case. He and Jenny must have been on the same cult, since they both knew the demon whose shrine was hidden so well inside the cave and for all you knew, the masked man could be living there in the first place. Yet, you have failed to find any clues on where Jack was or even if he was alive… or in the worst case scenario, dead. It pained you to not know, but all the leads you had found seemed to draw your attention elsewhere, leaving your best friend to be buried in the darkest corner of your mind, completely forgotten for the time being. Where are you Jack?  
  
‘ _Don’t wanna be rude, but I have to; nothing’s good about the hell you put me through….I just need to look around, see the life that has come unbound…And you’re so cynical, Narcissistic Cannibal, got to bring myself back from the dead!!!’_  
  
And right then, under the hot water, your mind clicks.  
  
Immediately, you wanted to facepalm yourself for not connecting all the leads earlier, but the damage was done, so it was okay. The solution to one of the mysteries has finally presented itself to you: the masked man was the one that the five people had tied down right in front of the cave. He was the one that attacked and killed them as well. It was all planned right from the start. Jenny must have known about him or even made a pact with him to lure the others in and kill them all, possibly in the name of the demon they believed in, but then something must have happened, maybe Jack found them out and the man was enraged and tried to kill even Jenny. Yes, that made perfect sense, especially if you considered the fact that he was now trying to kill you, every time you managed to get too close or discover new clues. He wanted to wipe out all the evidence. Yet one question remained: what happened to Jack?  
  
_‘Sometimes, I hate, the life I made; everything’s wrong every time. Pushing on I can’t escape, everything that comes my way, is haunting me taking its sweet time….Holding on I’m lost in the haze, fighting life to the end of my days!!!’_  
  
You sing the last lyrics wholeheartedly, washing yourself off, with your mind running a marathon; suddenly, you had the urge to make sure you had all the evidence you had gathered, somewhere hidden and safe, away from any preying eyes, in case the man wanted to destroy them, along with you. No! Whatever happened to you, you would make sure that your evidence would reach the police or someone capable of solving this case once and for all. It was all or nothing and you had nothing else to lose anymore. Without Jack, there was no life for you and if he was dead, then you were as good as dead as well.  
  
Wrapping yourself inside a towel, you flung the bathroom door open, your furious gaze scanning the whole room up as if it was capable of setting it on fire. Everything around you was messy, with evidence and papers about the investigation lying around the room for pretty much anyone to see. Without so much as another thought, you throw yourself against them, gathering them all up messily and throwing them on the plain box you had for the purposes of the investigation without minding if you damaged anything. Papers, samples, pictures, everything was tossed inside, along with a new paper that explained all the things that had happened and the conclusion you had reached. You thought it would be good to leave it behind, so writing it messily and hastily on a plain piece of paper, you throw it along with the others, before you close and tape the box shut, proceeding to shove it under your bed, where it was so narrow, that no one would think to look under it. But you were not done yet.  
  
Turning towards your desk, you grab your Iphone. Your fingers fly on the delicate screen, until they click on the video recording and you see the red dot go off, signaling that it was taping.  
  
‘My name is ____ _______. I’m 19 years old and the current date is (dd/mm/yy). Greg, I know that you are seeing this since I left it behind especially for you, in case something happened to me and I disappeared or died. I want you to know that all the evidence I have found about Jack’s case is under my bed’ you point the camera to the said space ‘And if anything happens to me, I want you to take them and either go straight to the police or even investigate yourself. I do not advise you to investigate yourself or all alone, so the police are your only option. Do not look for me, just focus on solving the case. Thank you for everything Greg. I owe you a lot.’ You say and end the video.  
  
Sighing, you turn the lock off so that he would be able to access it easily and looking up, you place it on an upper shelf of the library. The storm was continuing non-stop outside and right now, your mind was completely in the same shape as the storm outside. The walls of the room were closing up on you and everything around you –every little shadow, every little spot- could mean potential danger to you. Walking up to your bed, you shove a baseball bat from under it and gently rest it against the head of your bed; whatever happened, you would make sure not to fall without a fight. That mother*cker could bring it on anytime his piece of sh!t self wanted. You would kick his sorry #ss before you fell. You were sure about it.  
  
Grabbing a plain t-shirt and a pair of shorts, you walk back into the bathroom to change into your pajamas and dry your hair- your heart was pounding loudly inside your chest and you were sure that your brain would not allow you to rest properly tonight, but still, you had to try and get some sleep because you were going to need it. Once you came out, the dreadful feeling of something bad that was about to happen washed over you, but sparing no glance to the clock on the wall opposite from you, you decide to check if the rain had finally stopped.  
  
Of course, that was not the case and when you pulled your curtains open, your gaze wandered to the dark backyard and the trees that were still beaten up by the rain that was here to stay for good. Huh, maybe that will prevent any bad things from happening. Or at least you hoped.  
  
Just as you thought that, a loud thunder echoed and the lights above you flickered and went out, sinking the whole place into complete darkness.  
  
‘Pffff, great. Just my luck!’ you say turning towards your desk and grabbing your bottle of pills ‘F*ck my life.’  
  
You throw two pills in your mouth and taking a random bottle of water that you had lying around, you help them go down with some warm water. As you look over the yard once again, another thunder echoes and your blood goes cold inside your veins as you see someone standing among the trees.  
  
Your eyes open wide with surprise and your heart starts running a marathon inside your chest, ready to burst out of it in a matter of seconds. You couldn’t believe your eyes. Your mind went completely empty, failing to order your body to move, to run, to DO SOMETHING! But no matter how hard you pleaded any higher Being that existed in Heaven, the willpower to move was nowhere to be found. But right there, was the man standing. All dressed in black, with the only exception of his blue mask with the black goo tears, his presence was enough to make you weak on the knees and all alerts inside your mind to go off. You were in danger! In GRAVE danger! He had come for you! You had to run! But as realization dawned to you, a yelp of terror left your mouth…  
  
He wasn’t standing in the yard…..  
  
His image was reflecting…….  
  
….He was standing RIGHT BEHIND YOU!  
  
It was right at that point, that your mind got down to business.  
  
You immediately spun around, your back coming in contact with the cold window for support and somehow protection, as your terrified eyes fall on the dark figure that was standing right beside the bathroom door, his intimidating aura filling every fiber of your body. Once again you don’t fail to notice his strong built and threatening aura.  
  
‘Who are you?’ you demand to know as your hand instinctively searches the wall for the bat ‘WHO ARE YOU?!’ you are angry beyond self ‘WHERE IS JACK?!’  
  
In response he takes a step forward, the moment your hand grabs something that is far different than the bat and you throw it immediately against him. He ducks nonchalantly to the right and the glass shatters, hitting the wall behind him hard. And right then, he lunges forward as he tries to grab you, eliminating the distance you had between the both of you in mere milliseconds, but screaming, you finally grab the bat with all your power, yet seeing that he was too close for you to hit him, you slide right under his protruding arm, passing behind his back with a fluid motion that surprised even yourself. Turning, you barely have time to swing the bat with power as he throws himself against you.  
  
Instead, the bat finds him straight in the head, slamming it with all the power your fragile little body could create, something that makes it fling to the left with power nonetheless. He lets out an angry growl and backs away, his hands flying to grab the sides of his head tightly, before he nails his dark gaze on your surprised form once again. In a mere millisecond, you realize that he is way taller and stronger than you. You stand no chance against him. He knew it, you knew it and everybody knew it.  
  
‘WHO ARE YOU?! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME FREAK?!’ you scream, tears running from your eyes, a mixture of terror and sheer anger ‘WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO JACK?! TELL ME RIGHT NOW!’  
  
Instead of answering you, he just straightens himself and cocks his head to the side, observing you as if you were some rare endangered white lion or something like that and says nothing.  
  
But you would not stay there and wait for end to come.  
  
Letting out a bloodcurdling scream, you swing the bat with all your might towards him, trying once again to hit his head. Yet, before you even have the chance to get near his head, there is a sudden moment and he grabs the bat hard with only one hand. Your eyes barely manage to open with surprise, as the next thing you feel is a foot coming hard in contact with your stomach. Immediately, blood fills your mouth and you fly backwards, hitting against the wall and barely managing to stay upright, you immediately tilt your head to the side, as his fist comes in hard contact with the wall where your head rested a few seconds ago. Surprise penetrates you when you see that the wall broke under the power of his fist, but there is no time to evaluate his power completely. Dropping your head down and releasing yourself from his hold, you pass to his side and before he manages to grab a fistful of your hair, your knee lands hard against his stomach, the same time that the bat hits him on the side of his head.  
  
He wobbles a little bit, obviously disoriented by the double hit that caught him by surprise, but leaves you with an opening that comes only once in a lifetime. The way towards the window, towards your only means of salvation, is perfectly clear. It’s your only escape, since with all the noise made by the storm, no one would hear you if you screamed, so if you managed to go outside, then salvation would be something that could be managed with a bit of trying. Your feet come in direct contact with the floor, as you literally eject yourself towards it, ready to even pass through the glass. Midway towards it though, you see something that makes your blood freeze; a silver light flashes right behind your reflection and it’s not coming from the outside…it is reflected. Turning, you barely have time to move your bat in the way, as a silver, deadly sharp scalpel buries itself inside the hard wood, so easily as if it was cutting butter, cutting the edge from side to side and disappearing once again, failing to decapitate you with a single move, as its owner tried to do. Next thing you feel is a sharp pain resonating straight through your face and your body is immediately ejected backwards, landing butt-first on the floor as a black boot came in hard contact with your delicate features. Something warm immediately pours out of your nose, that is completely broken.  
  
Screaming out of pure pain, you see the man walk up to your exposed form, but he fails to protect his only vulnerable spot, so when he walks inside your field of attack, it is your own foot that lands straight where the sun doesn’t shine. This time, he swears loudly and backs up again, barely giving you the time to pick yourself up and using what is left of the bat, you break down the window.  
  
But as you grabbed the edges hard, paying no attention to the glass that wounded your hands severely, something that wasn’t of importance in the small glimpse of freedom that presented itself right before your eyes, you feel two strong arms wrap around your waist and suddenly, your feet don’t touch the floor anymore, as someone picks you up in the air. Your piercing scream reverberates on the walls of the room, as it leaves your lips, along with what is left of the bat that leaves your hand. You feel yourself being pushed backwards, but you try to grab yourself from the window frame trying to fight him off for as long as you could, only to leave scratching marks on it and make your fingers bleed out, as they are almost being slaughtered by the glasses that cut them up.  
  
Then you feel a small breeze and your back connects hard with the wooden floor, as you smash hard against it, letting out a cry of pain as the wood breaks hard under you, filling your back with various wounds. Your eyes blur for a single moment, filling up with tears of pain, and leaving you unable to react, a fact that the intruder takes advantage of, climbing on top of you and trying to hold you down as you try to fight him off with everything you’ve got.  
  
Screaming, kicking, trying to push him away with your hands despite your severe injuries and agonizing pain, you put up quite a fight, trying to free yourself from your possible killer and run away. Like a total lunatic, you toss and turn, trying everything humanly possible. You couldn’t die. Not here, not now. You still had to find Jack. You still had to find your best friend and offer him the only justice that fate was owing to him for all the hardships that he went through. If you were condemned to go to hell for your sins, the hell that is happening right now before your very own eyes, you really wanted one last chance to be able to offer Jack paradise. Fate owed you that.  
  
Luck though, wasn’t by your side tonight.  
  
The male was twice the size of you and overpowered you rather quickly, grabbing your hands under his knees, trapping them and proceeding into grabbing your head, trying to keep it in place. You try to bite the hand, but he is careful enough to place it out of your reach. He had pinned you down.  
  
Your eyes open wide and new tears roll down from them, staining the wooden floor, as you see him reach with his other hand inside his hoodie pocket and draw out a small syringe, filled with a clear fluid.  
  
_‘Stay still. This might hurt.’_ His dark and alluring voice sounds under his mask, a bit muffled by the obstacle.  
  
You feel a stinging pain on the side of your throat, as the needle pierces your skin, allowing the liquid to enter straight into your carotid. Tears are now flowing freely from your eyes and your heavy sobs are muffled when he places his hand over your mouth to silence you. Your vision immediately starts to get foggy on the edges and you know the end, your end, is near.  
  
The last thing you see is his navy blue mask, strangely glowing inside the total darkness, as your senses fade and your eyes close. The last image that crosses your mind, is Jack.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song you were singing was Narcissistic Cannibal cover by EarlyRise.


	9. Chapter 9 Awake In A Nightmare

It had been three days.  
  
Three whole days that the human had been heavily sedated and kept with exceptional care inside EJ’s own lab. Her heart was beating with heavy, resonating pounds, indicating that it functioned well enough to keep her alive for the moment, even if its beat was unsteady and somewhat peculiar. Her breathing was even and repeating, and her vital signs where that of complete health and durability. There was literally nothing wrong with her in a physical way, other than her strange human heart. EJ had made sure to inject her with just the right amount of anesthetic to knock her out for just a few hours. It proved to be a very thoughtful decision, considering the fact of the strong fight such a fragile human girl put up, in order not to be captured. It had caught EJ by surprise, but then again, the years of experience in the murder field made her desperate tries to escape futile.  
  
As soon as she was knocked out, the eyeless killer made sure that no possible humans that lived on the rooms nearby heard anything, before taking a close look to the rest of her small bedroom, being lead by her strangely clean scent to rummage through her personal belongings and strangely enough, he found a considerable amount of Biaxin, his sharp mind immediately connecting it with the pills he saw her taking a few moments before he attacked her. It was more than just strange for a human female at that young age to be taking such strong heart failure pills. It could possibly explain her arrhythmia, but surely, not her young age. Stuffing many of the pills inside his pockets, he once again returned to search for any possible clues that could lead anyone to discover his presence and surely enough, his thorough search lead him to discover a box full of clues and information, as well as her cell phone, which he pocketed to search later on. He knew not how many information this girl had gathered and frankly, he knew not why she was so obsessed on tracking him down or how the hell did she manage to follow him around; him! a killing machine that preyed on the darkest shadows of the night. So how on earth did she manage to locate him and further on, why she did that, was beyond his comprehension. Still, he was quite optimistic that whatever she was searching for, he would be able to discover it. He was absolutely obsessed with finding out what this human female wanted. And there was one thing to do in order to find the answers in his leisure.  
  
Picking her unconscious body up and throwing her over his shoulder like her weight was nothing to him, he made his way out in the torrential rain, shortly enough walking among the trees as the storm raged all around.  
  
He knew not why he hadn’t killed her on the spot.  
  
From the moment he met her and chased after her inside the forest, the dream-haunting voice of hers reverberated through his ears, sounding as if she was singing right beside him, right beside his ear, her alluring voice and breath falling on his skin making the eyeless killer shiver and lose his composure, acting in a really strange way, allowing paranoia to creep inside his mind. Usually, he was able to control such feelings and keep his composure for quite some time. But after meeting the said girl, all his control over himself seemed to be sliding among his dead fingers. So when he first crept his way behind her in her dorm room, the only thing he wanted to do was to see her warm, red blood painting the ceiling and walls in breathtaking patterns for everyone to see. He wanted her dead and her heart displayed majestically in one of his organ jars. But when she turned towards him, eyes filled with sheer terror and desperately trying to defend herself with any means necessary, the killer found himself hesitant.  
  
Why? Why was he unable to slit her throat open? It had never happened to him in the past, not even when he came across other girls. Male or female, everyone that encountered the organ eating killer did not survive to tell the tale. But why did that happen now?  
  
As he was standing above the unconscious girl, pondering over whether to kill her and leave her there for her friends to find or…..or? Her angel-like voice made its way on the empty chambers inside his mind, resonating in the darkness that madness graced the killer with, echoing again and again and throwing the killer in some kind of delirium. If he had to describe the feeling somehow, he would say that he felt like he was heavily drunk. When her voice resonated inside his mind, all thoughts seemed to abandon him and leave behind only a pleasurable, empty void. It was like when you are standing near the top of a newly snowed mountain and take a deep, fresh breath of pure oxygen.  
  
Refreshing.  
  
Addictive.  
  
So he did not know what to do with her.  
  
From the moment she had managed to escape him in the forest, he watched her closely as she ran towards her friends and passed out in their arms. From that point onwards, he lost her tracks, since the bright day did not allow him any discreet cover and adding to that, he had to immediately return to the house and leave his overnight catch before it went bad. So grunting under his mask, he turned around and proceeded to return back. Still, he spent the next days trying to locate her.  
  
It was no tough task, since the campus of the college that happened to be around the Mansion was not so big as to lose people inside or fail to locate a particular one. Add to the equation the sharp senses and patience of the eyeless killer and it took him only two days to find the said girl, parking her car briefly and running towards the library, passing through the torrential rain. She appeared to be in a haste; her bright (e/c) eyes were shadowed by a dark and urgent look and she was constantly looking around her, as if she knew that something was about to happen; as if she knew that he was around and ready to kill her. And he was, he really was determined to kill her that night, leaving her cold body to rot on some locker inside the library. EJ slipped unnoticed inside the empty library and took the life of the librarian before she even knew what hit her, before he proceeded to mess with the girl, who once again, proved to be too feisty for his liking. The fact that her heart was weak was only supplemented by her fearless character as she once again defended herself with everything she had, using any possible thing that could help her, like the fire-extinguisher. When he stabbed her in the gut, he was sure that it would be enough to stop her, but the fire he saw burning inside her eyes as she grabbed the extinguisher and hit him in the head, was filled with determination. She wasn’t going to die there. Not then, not there.  
  
What the absolute hell was wrong with this girl? Why wasn’t she scared of him, why was she facing him head on? Of course, she was completely clueless of the fact that EJ was nothing like a human and the only way for her to discover that was to become his victim and feed him, but even if she didn’t know that, she should be a little bit afraid or even cautious. Normal humans do that right? Instead, when he crept inside her bedroom that night after the humans had a party, the only thing she did was to caress his black tears and smile, before she continued sleeping like nothing happened. What the f*ck was wrong with this girl? It was at that very night that EJ found himself hesitant of killing her for the very first time in his whole Creepypasta life. It wasn’t just the heavenly voice that seemed to capture his interest; it was the fact that her very character, her reactions, were _interesting._ She didn’t act like a normal human, she didn’t do what he expected her to do, she was _….unpredictable._ The curiosity that was always lying inside the cold-hearted man’s very own nature was suddenly awakened. His instincts failed to comprehend the nature that fed the reactions on this girl, so naturally, they were interested. What a wonderful rare sample to experiment on!  
  
Those were the thoughts that passed inside the murderer’s mind as he carried your unconscious body through the woods, further and further inside the darkness and away from all safety, away from all the chances of someone rescuing you. With each step of the way, you were more and more in his complete mercy and all he could think of was what other interesting stuff you would do. Yes, he wasn’t going to keep you around for long, just enough to figure out the abnormality inside your brain that makes you different and after he knew that, maybe you could provide him with a nice meal. Maybe he could open up your skull and take a closer look to your brain. Maybe he could make you sing once again and figure out what effect did your voice possessed. Whatever happened, one thing was for sure: you were doomed right from the moment he picked you up inside your room and took you with him. Now, on your way to the Mansion of the most dreadful creature in existence, the only fate that awaited you was death. If death didn’t find you along the way of course, but EJ would make sure that he would have his fair share of time with you, before disposing of you. He had taken humans there before for further research, but they were never alive to begin with.  
  
Luckily, his room was on the northern side of the Mansion and consequently provided him with enough privacy to climb his way up to his room, completely unnoticed by the other residents, who wouldn’t take it so well if a human was brought in there alive. So no front door for him tonight. He immediately placed you in his private lab and made sure that you were in the best condition before he allowed you to awaken and his experiments to start. That was three days ago.  
  
Now, it was around ten on the third night that he heard you start to stir uneasily, a clear sign that you were about to wake up soon. Finally! He would be able to question you, something that would be quite interesting if your character continued to surprise him. He had checked both your phone and your box and found out that you were indeed looking for someone, yet completely different from him. It appeared that you had first encountered him long before he saw you, which only raised more questions inside the killer’s mind. It was good to take those things along after all; now no one would suspect a single thing. You were now, completely at his non-existent mercy.  
  
  


**~*~**

  
  
Cold….you were so cold….  
  
The darkness that was spreading all around you inside the dream was chilling as well as relaxing. Why? Because you had absolutely no clue on how you got there in the first place, gently floating inside the liquid darkness that was more evilly breathtaking than terrifying, providing your distressed mind with the calmness needed to take a few relaxing turns and clear from every possible thought. No dreams, no thoughts and more importantly, no worries. It was somewhat relieving to be able to break free from all the problems everyday life could create and such a gift only existed to be treasured. This rare moment of solitude…It was just you and the coldness around you that greeted your mind, which nonetheless started to wonder and awaken, asking questions that there was absolutely no way for them to be answered by you at this very moment. First of all, what were you doing here? It was practically impossible to remember what had happened before that lead you here, but it still rang as peculiar inside the empty void of your mind, that something might be going terribly wrong…  
  
Why? Because there was no way for you to be so cold, if you were lying on your soft and warm bed, perfectly protected under the fluffy covers. There was no way and even if your very last memory was that of the safety of your room, it provided you with nothing else but more questions.  
  
But wait!  
  
That’s right! You were inside your own room, your fragile body covered by your usual pajamas and your feet carefully tucked inside your fluffy flip-flops, getting ready for a good night’s sleep. Yeah, you can remember getting out of the shower, having practically figured out what the hell was wrong with Jack’s case and left a video message with the clues and your thoughts for Greg to find if anything happened….wait…did something happen? You don’t remember falling asleep at all, you just remember the lights going out and….HIM! He was outside your window right across from your room….no, nonononono, this was wrong somehow. Of course! He was inside your room; he attacked you as soon as you turned around and then……then what?  
  
Then he knocked you out with a needle.  
  
Terror strikes you like a solid, concrete wall that hits you so hard, you are left to struggle inside the floating darkness that is no longer so friendly around you but suffocating, threatening to reap your soul away at any given moment and allow the demons to take over your body. Because they are looming all around you, it is common knowledge, waiting restlessly for the time that death will bring his calamity upon you and your soul will be left completely unprotected to their devouring eyes, as they will be quick to snatch and tear her apart piece by piece. Because this is what the darkness holds inside of it right at this very moment. It is cold, humid and utterly horrifying, making your broken heart race immediately inside your chest, attempting to alert the rest of your senses in a desperate try to move, to run, to DO SOMETHING! A desperate cry for help shots up inside the complete darkness of your mind that is struggling to pull you into conscience, towards the light that will be your only savior and companion. Because light can and will save you. Only light can protect you from the horrors of darkness.  
  
And right at that point is when you hear it. The faint rattling of chains. This is it!  
  
You twist and turn, screaming with all your might, trying to pull yourself from the deep slumber, listening to the noise of rattling chains and a rugged breathing that reached your ears, followed by the faint beating of a broken heart and you instantly know that you are about to wake up and face your fears head on. It is the only thing you can do and you will sure as hell do it. So in one final turn of your head, your eyes pop open.  
  
Darkness is all you see.  
  
As if the complete darkness had a chain reaction with your body, your breathing immediately hitched and your heartbeat became a monotonous beat, as the said organ seemed ready to jump out of your chest and run towards salvation. Yet, you knew that you were finally awake, since your eyelids were blinking fast and your pupils tried desperately to find any source of light. Leaning your head down, you try to take in calm breaths, since your heart is beginning to hurt you a little bit, a potential heart-attack that you cannot afford right now threatening you, as you try to figure out where on earth you are. For starters, you were extremely cold, something that applies for everything around you as well, since you are sitting against a cold surface, most probably a wall and the floor, wearing nothing else but your pajamas, already shivering from the cold. Secondly, even if you can’t see a single thing, you can smell the air around you. The heavy aroma of medicine, humidity and….blood, immediately reaches your nose, making your stomach turn and beg you to lean on some corner and empty it. What a foul smell! Like something…or maybe someone, had died in here ages ago and his body rotted away. Yes, the scent of medicine was still strong, battling with the first aroma, but failed completely to overshadow it. Thirdly, you are unable to hear anything. As if all noise on earth has completely seized, the only thing you can actually hear, is your own breathing and the sound of chains.  
  
In this thought, you start to move your hands a little bit, only to realize that they are both suspended on both sides of your head, bound down with something metallic and possibly chained to the wall. So he had taken you along with him huh? Why? Why didn’t he kill you right on the spot? What does he want from you now? But more importantly, where is he?  
  
Inside the complete darkness, you were unable to either see him or even detect his presence. No, for now, you were alone. It was the question of how long you would be alone that pestered your mind like the plague. You had to come up with a plan and fast. Keep your head down and think! Think! Think ______! Think!  
  
_Click._  
  
The bright white lights flashed above you, submerging the whole room under their strong light and momentarily blinding you, as you grunted loudly to the sudden source of light that was as unexpected as it was unwelcomed, averting your gaze and closing your eyes shut, trying desperately to overcome the new obstacle that was thrown in your way. This wasn’t good. It was definitely not good that there was light. For the first time in so long, you found yourself wishing that you were still in the darkness.  
  
 _Thud._  
  
Someone stepped forward. F*ck.  
  
Once again, your heart refused to relax and threatened you more and more with an impending heart attack, as the terror seized her completely, sending her in a delirium of pure horror. The fear immediately shot up inside of you, starting from your heart and spreading inside your veins like wildfire, throwing your mind over the edge and surrendering you to the horrors of what was about to happen to the poor, little you. It was him; you were never so sure in your whole life about something, not even for Jack’s love, but damn all the Gods in Heavens, this was him. He came to kill you. You were going to die! No! You will face him head on! You will not bow down and look away, you are going to look into his eyes and demand to know where Jack is, even if it is the very last thing you will do. Either way, you have nothing else to lose. You are dead already. So pulling all your courage together, you look up abruptly, looking across from you, where indeed, the blue masked man was standing.  
  
Even if you were completely determined upon your act, you couldn’t help but flinch a little bit when you locked gazes with the man, taking in almost immediately his threatening aura and posture, though this time, it seemed like he was not so upright and deadly. His whole attire was pitch black as always, stained with even darker spots, which you guessed where blood, but part of his hair was protruding under his navy blue mask, the auburn color coming in complete contrast once again with the rest of the attire. He was towering threatenly above you, standing only a few meters away and right in front of a door, having stuffed his hands inside his hoodie pocket, something that failed to make him any less dangerous in your eyes. Your eyes narrowed and you pulled your legs protectively closer to you, almost curling up in a ball on the cold white floor. He was definitely watching you; you were sure about it, but he said absolutely nothing.  
  
Making sure for a few moments that he was not going to attack you or try anything else for that matter, you allow yourself to take a quick look around the bright white room. Surprisingly enough, you found yourself inside what appeared to be a surgical room. Every surface around you was pure white or a bit of darker grey and it was perfectly clean and supplied with all the necessities a real surgeon would need to perform an operation. From the white drawers and cupboards that where filled with medicine and surgical tools, to the surgical bed that rested in the center of the room, appearing threatening to your eyes, for no other reason but your bad feeling; because the blood stench was still pretty strong, even to the spot you were sitting on, safely away from all this stuff and chained to some water pipes with two handcuffs.  
  
‘Who are you?’ you blurt out before you could stop yourself, averting your attention to the man once again.  
  
The sound of your voice reverberated inside the silent room like a true gunshot, making you flinch once again and notice that for a split second, he pauses his movements, before he continues to walk up towards you, his moves slow and calculated as if he was approaching some kind of rare animal, or even worse, his potential victim. You nailed your bright eyes on his lean figure, watching and waiting for any kind of acknowledgement that you spoke, but nothing comes out of his mouth. He walks up to you, towering a few inches away from your face, making you think for a split second, that a kick straight to your face right now could be the end of you. He leans his head down, gazing upon you wordlessly, a stare that is able to see pass through your very own skin and reach down to your very soul, reaping it away from you violently. Your time is coming; that is the only thing you are sure about right now.  
  
Then, out of nowhere, he kneels down and brings his face inches away from yours, his black eye sockets nailing on your eyes, watching you carefully. You return the gaze, looking towards the sockets with determination mixed with terror, trying desperately to take a small glimpse of his eyes, but the black cloth that covers them makes it impossible. He continues to say nothing, only leaning his head to one side, like he was studying you.  
  
‘W-who..are you?!’ you demand to know once again, looking at his strange mask courageously.  
  
At first there is nothing. But then…  
  
‘What is your name?’  
  
You almost fainted from your sheer terror on the sound of his voice. Tears bubbled on your eyes but you stubbornly blinked them away. His voice had sounded soft but determined, burning your mind with the message that it was hardly a typical question. It had sounded a bit muffled under the mask, but it was crystal clear and filled with danger.  
  
You pressed your lips together nonetheless, denying him any answer at all and watching as he leaned his head to the other side.  
  
‘I asked you, what your name is.’ he repeated his request monotonously, yet with a tint of impatience inside.  
  
‘L-like hell I’ll tell you! You can go screw yourself!’ you bite out.  
  
If he was angered or even surprised by your response, you knew not, since the mask pretty much covered his characteristics, rendering it impossible to guess what was going on inside his mind. The only thing you heard was a small sigh coming out from behind his mask and the next thing you knew, his left hand was on your stomach, punching the point where the stab wound was.  
  
A piercing scream left your mouth, as the pain that shot up from your wounded point brought tears to your eyes and made you scream so hard, that your lungs reached the end of their capacity, trying to scream harder than your pain. Behind your tears you saw him straightening his head again and ask you patiently.  
  
‘I already know your name (y/l/n); I am just acquiring you to tell me yourself.’ He simply said, emotionlessly.  
  
You coughed up a little bit, but eventually looked back at him, eyes filled with anger ‘I’m ______. And who are you f*cker? What do you want from me?’  
  
‘Why were you following me? What were you trying to find?’ he downright ignores your question.  
  
‘It’s none of your damn business what was I looking for. The matter is that it lead me to you by accident. I have nothing to do with you.’ you bit out. If you played along, maybe, just maybe, you could find some info.  
  
‘Really? And what makes you think that I find this to be the truth?’ he bits out threatenly.  
  
‘Because it’s the truth and the truth alone. Now, who the f*ck are you?’  
  
‘That is not your concern. What were you doing in that cave and back in the forest?’  
  
‘Whatever the f*ck I wanted. Now screw you, LEAVE ME ALONE!’ you scream at his face.  
  
As you scream at him, he leans his head back a little bit, studying you once again and taking in your reactions. It was starting to get on your nerves, the fact that you couldn’t see through him and study his expressions, solely because you couldn’t guess what was about to happen afterwards. So when he raised his hand and started to remove his glove, all other thoughts left your mind as you were horrified to see that his skin was coal black! What the hell was that? This was definitely not human and as the sharp beast-like nails came into view up next, you barely had time to scream, before his hand flashed and grabbed you hard by the delicate neck, squeezing it so hard, that you begun to choke and gasp for air. Your lungs burned you for air and your hands tried to fly to your neck in order to protect it, but the handcuffs prevented them from doing that. And as if that wasn’t enough, he leaned his head towards you, leaning dangerously close.  
  
‘You are currently in no position to make demands, so it would be wise of you to answer the questions you are asked. If you provide me with no answers, then I have no use of you. Now, what were you doing on that cave?’ he growled, his voice sounding so demon like, that your heart almost stopped.  
  
Opening your mouth, you tried your best to answer, but no sound came out. Noticing your struggle, he loosens his grip just a little bit, allowing you to inhale the needed amount of air in order to answer.  
  
‘I…..I was….investigating a murder case.’ You cough hard.  
  
‘Good. Are there more like you back in the campus?’  
  
‘N-no, just me.’  
  
‘You are doing good.’ he says and finally releases you ‘Now, what exactly are these?’  
  
Shoving his hand on his pocket, he brings out a small bottle filled with your pills. In their sight, your eyes grow bigger and given the fact that your heart was long ago paining you, you involuntarily shove yourself to get them, desperately trying to take one, but he leans them away from you and your handcuffs stop you as well.  
  
‘So they are important to you, aren’t they?’ his voice was filled with triumph.  
  
‘These are my heart pills, please give them back!’ you demand, throwing your pride aside in order to stay alive.  
  
‘What heart condition do you have?’  
  
‘This concerns only me you f*cker! Now, GIVE THEM BACK!’  
  
‘I will not do that.’ he says, picking himself up from the ground, still holding the bottle right before your eyes ‘You see, if you can’t tell me your condition, it is natural to assume that you do not need them. So for now, our meeting has concluded.’ He says, turning his back on you and walking towards the door.  
  
‘Wait! Give them back!’ you plead, but then anger consumes your mind ‘You really believe that I left like that? That I didn’t know you were coming?! I have left clues back you f*cker! So that they know that it was you who took me and police will come for you! You’ll see! So you better tell me what you did to Jack and I’ll say nothing to anyone!’  
  
In your words, he pauses his steps and looks back at you from above his shoulder. His dark gaze once again burns your skin away, making you cringe ‘You mean the little video you left on your phone?’ you can hear the mocking tone so clearly inside his voice tone as he shoves his hand inside his pocket and takes out your very own phone.  
  
Your eyes open wide with surprise and your mouth half opens in its view, so you barely hear his words.  
  
‘There is no escaping me ______. From now own, enjoy your new room, because you’ll be my new little experiment. And there is no one coming for you.’ he says and as he tightens his grip around the phone, you can see it break into thousand pieces, taking along with it, your last rays of hope.  
  
‘You are already dead.’ He chuckles, turning off the lights and sinking you once again inside the complete darkness.


	10. Chapter 10 The Ones Lost In The Darkness

Darkness was all you knew.  
  
From the moment he went out of the room and turned off the lights, it was the very last time that you were able to cherish the luxurious gift of light. It was the last time that your eyes were able to make out anything inside this very room. When that moment passed, you were once again left all alone inside the darkness. It is terrifying to be in the darkness for so long, because it can and will play tricks with your mind. For starters, you had absolutely no clue how many days had passed since the very first day that you awoke inside this terrifying and hostile place or even when the last time that you had encountered this terrifying man was. Was it day outside? Was it night? What time was it? You had absolutely no way to know what was happening right outside this very room and even when you tried guessing, it bid you absolutely no results. What was even more unnerving, was the fact that you couldn’t hear anything; even if you tried, this particular room must be either soundproofed or you were somewhere far away from civilization, because the only sound that ever reached your ears, was the soft rattling sound of the chains around your wrists.  
  
Yet, even these two facts were nothing compared to the true beast that was trying to reap away your sanity. And that was hunger.  
  
Boy, were you hungry! You couldn’t even remember when the last time you had eaten was. Hunger was slow and careful to creep it’s way inside your mind, starting with just dying whale sounds produced by your stomach, until it transformed into what appeared to be an untamed beast that was eating you alive from the inside and you were left unable to do anything, not even battle it to the least, so after some time, you just allowed it to engulf you. You screamed, you begged, you cried, you tried to do anything in order to make yourself be heard over to the man, but all attempts were met with nothing else but more silence and even more tormenting hunger. So after a little while, you just found yourself sleeping more and more; it was the only way that helped you be relieved for some hours from the haunting presence of hunger and even if the sleeping hours seemed to increase more and more, making you wonder if something other than pure relief was coming close to you, you welcomed them nonetheless with gratitude.  
  
You were desperate; it was as clear as the darkness all around you that desperation had finally found its way inside your mind, which was slowly but steadily slipping away from your delicate fingers and spiraling out of control, reacting badly to the strange and unwelcoming environment that it had found itself into. No matter how much you tried to think, to allow your brain to start thinking about the situation you were in and the possible ways out that might be presented to you, the more time passed, the more all attempts to escape or even think logically started to decrease inside your mind. No matter how much you tried, no matter how much you screamed internally, hunger and terror was all that prevailed inside your mind, monsters that seemed so big and threatening, that there was absolutely no way to escape them. And the silence, the tormenting silence of not knowing what fate had in store for you, what was about to happen to you, was another terrifying thing. Where you going to die in here? In this cold and hard floor, barely able after all this time to even feel your hands? Had he just abandoned you in here, left you to die from hunger or thirst? Or did he plan on making you go completely mad? If the darkness continued around you, sanity would be as quick as running water to escape your trembling hands and the monstrous man would finally won you.  
  
Maybe what is happening to you now was what happened to Jack as well. Maybe he was taken alive by this freak and was left here to die, all alone. Images of your best friend being tormented exactly the same way that you are tormented right now, flashed before your very eyes, haunting you again and again with his beautiful and always smiling face being distorted in a grim mask of torment and sadness. Where you in the same pain Jack? Where are you? Are you dead? Can you go along with him? Would death finally reunite you with your best friend and most loved one? Did the always kind and innocent boy suffered the dreadful death of starvation? If you could say that you were thinking about other things in your current state, then you would say that memories of when you and Jack were still by each other’s side, were flashing before your very own eyes; what would be more heartwarming in a situation like this one, other than the sweet memories of a loved one that might be awaiting you to the other side. There was literally nothing else you could hope for. The end was already upon you and the darkness would allow you an easy passage to his side.  
  
In this delirious state you barely even noticed when the lights flashed once again above you.  
  
Your eyes, accustomed as they were to the constant darkness, were immediately blinded, making you unable to detect even the slightest of details. It didn’t matter though; your eyelids just refused to blink away the blindness and continued to stare to the void right in front of you unmoving, just as empty as the bright white that had flooded the whole space, painting the various things that were resting around you with bright colors, as well as coming in total contrast with the black pair of boots that invaded your vision shortly after. That’s right; you were starting to focus once again and see somehow clearly, with the sound of the steps filling your ears and reverberating like true gunshots inside your mind, desperately trying to make it react; maybe you should feel some kind of fear. Yeah! There it is! You can feel your uneasy heart starting beating unevenly and fill with sheer terror…yet, you were completely unable to move a single muscle. Not even when the boots stopped a few inches away from your face, not even when your vision was invaded by a beautiful royal blue color. No; not even then.  
  
‘Can you hear me?’ an alien voice that somehow sounded familiar said from afar. Just as if you were listening to him through water, his voice might have reached you, but it was blurred and distant ‘Answer me ______.’ The voice demanded in a calm tone when he got no response whatsoever.  
  
Unwillingly, your parched lips parted and you tried to speak, only for a shrieking low sound to come out which one would call something like a voice. The man, seeing that you were in no state to either answer him or even acknowledge his presence, sighed lightly under his mask. Before you even realized what was going on, two strong arms wrapped carefully around your arms and your torso was lifted up from the ground and placed against the wall behind you. The chains rattled, but your hands fell limply beside you, as well as your head that leaned forward, since you barely even had the strength to keep yourself awake anymore, so your body did not afford moving your limps around any longer. What was the point on that anyway? Not like you would be able to run away or even face him.  
  
Your ragged breath came out hard, as your eyelids grew finally heavy and started to close.  
  
Then, something extremely cold hit your face. It was so sudden, so out of the blue, that your lungs were knocked off from all the air they were carrying, reacting immediately to the impact. Your heart stung you hard. Your eyelids were no longer heavy and your eyes popped open, just as your mouth opened in a piercing scream of surprise, trying all at the same time to inhale as much air as it was needed for your body to focus and function. Whatever the hell was that, it was cold and…liquid? You could feel the strange substance dripping down from your eyebrows, your nose, your skin and finally your skin. Water. It was water. Extremely cold water. Your distressed eyes scanned the whole place up, until they focused solely to the blue masked man that was sitting right in front of you, inches away, holding an open bottle of water in his hands. You weren’t so far gone to not understand that he had threw the water on you, not only making you focus your attention to him, but also driving the sleepiness away.  
  
Noticing you staring at him, he tilted his head to the side ‘Do I have your attention now?’ his voice was once again even, betraying no emotion as he sat casually across from you.  
  
You blinked the last drops of water away from your eyes ‘What the hell…. do you want?’ you grumbled, trying to calm down before you gave yourself another heart attack, a threat that was all too real without your pills.  
  
‘I have some questions for you. Since you were uncooperative last time, I gave you some time to think about what can happen to you, so I’m sure you understand what will happen to you if you do not answer.’ He simply stated.  
  
In response, you scoffed coldly ‘So you are going to starve me to death?... Or leave me here to rot?... Either way, I have no reasons to live anymore, so you can go ahead… and kill me.’  
  
In your words, he tilted his head to the other side ‘For a human, you surely do not value your life too much.’ He observed.  
  
‘For….. a cold-blooded killer, you sure….. don’t understand what is like to have nothing else to… lose. You took Jack away from me….. f*cker, you are lucky I’m too tired to attack you…. even if those damn things hold my hands down. I may be weak, but you should fear the people that don’t even value their lives anymore.’  
  
The sound of your voice filled the medical room, echoing softly and gently on the smooth surfaces and reaching back to fill your own ears with the sheer pain and anger that had filled it. Even if his mask hid away all of his emotions behind the emotionless gaze of an everlasting crying face, you knew that he was processing your words inside his mind, making you almost see the gears twisting and turning. He was calculating your response, you were sure about it; maybe he was even reminiscing the time that he spend torturing and killing Jack, showing the poor man no mercy at all. Only a few moments in your life did you hate some individuals with all the might your broken heart could fuel you with, but right now, you were adding one more to the list. Because the killer that was standing right in front of you, was the one that ultimately reaped away your happiness, just as you had finally reached out to grab it for the first time in your whole life. And you were not going to let it slide like that.  
  
The sharp breath that he inhaled pulled you abruptly out of your thoughts about vengeance, but what you heard next, made your blood boil hard inside of you.  
  
‘Who is Jack?’  
  
Simple three word sentence. A sentence that made you furious beyond imagination.  
  
‘To hell… with you! Have you killed… so many that… you have forgotten their names?!’  
  
‘As a matter of fact yes.’  
  
‘Go to hell! He was my best friend and you killed him!!! You brought him here and killed him!’ you accuse him passionately.  
  
‘I don’t remember bringing someone that was alive here before.’ He comments ‘But all this is irrelevant. I will be asking the questions now.’  
  
As he says this, he rests the water bottle on the floor on his right and promptly shoves his hands inside his hoodie pockets, shuffling through them. You watch him wearily but carefully as he says nothing once again, something that triggers all alerts inside your head. What was he up to now? Was he going to physically torture you now? Maybe threaten to cut off anything if you didn’t answer? Yet, when he finally pulls out three slices of bread and the bottle of your pills, your mouth half opens in surprise. He holds both items on his gloved hands and then he rests the bread next to the water bottle and your pills on the left side of him. Your bright (e/c) orbs though, were nailed solely to the bread, your undying hunger that had so long to be won, coming back to the surface once again. Suddenly, you are all alone inside the room, without him, without the chains, only you and the bread, the only source of food in God knows how long. Unwillingly, your stomach turns and grumbles excitedly and your mouth begins to water the moment your brain leans your torso towards the food, without you even noticing. What wouldn’t you give to take a small bite out of that white, freshly baked, mouthwatering bread. One bite. Just one.  
  
‘If you answer my questions’ his sudden words pull you harshly back to reality, making your lightened up eyes look away from the bread and on his blue mask ‘You will be given either the food or the pills. Which one do you choos-’  
  
‘The bread.’ You swallow hard ‘I want… the bread.’  
  
He falls silent once again, softly taking the bottle of pills and returning it to his pocket.  
  
‘Tell me what you know about the murders you have been investigating.’  
  
‘Can I drink a bit of water first?’ you nail your orbs to his black sockets, almost pleading him for a few drops of this heavenly liquid ‘I’m…so thirsty…please?’  
  
He nods ‘No.’  
  
You exhale and lean your head in the front, trying to hold your temper and not scream at him. He may take the bread away if you do.’  
  
‘As I said…. I was investigating the disappearance of… a dear friend of mine. What appeared to be a cult killed four people in my campus…., almost killed another one and made…my friend disappear. I came to this particular college so that I could investigate…and I happened to run into you… Since you started hunting me down though,….I assumed that you were in the cult and you were the one to kill them. Yet the girl that was left heavily injured, survived, out of accident I suppose. Which makes me wonder….did your deal with her go bad?...She didn’t bring you many people and you tried to kill her?’ you rest your filled with fire eyes on his blank mask.  
  
‘What was the girl’s name?’  
  
‘Jenny Smith.’ You answer.  
  
‘Where is she now?’  
  
‘In an insane asylum, suffering…. from religious delusions and paranoia.’ Your eyes tighten ‘You want to hunt her down?’  
  
‘How where the victims killed?’ he completely ignores your question.  
  
‘Cut… open. Organs spilled and all…kidneys missing. Eyes taken out. You left behind a bloody mess.’ You admit.  
  
To your surprise, he nods ‘I don’t remember doing something like that. And surely I have not made any deals with anyone.’  
  
‘Don’t you…. dare lie in my face! If you didn’t kill them, then who did?!’ you were so done with this psycho. He was lying right in your face and honestly believed that you would buy this sh!t? Never!  
  
‘Who killed them does not concern me. We are done with the questions.’ He announces, preparing to stand up.  
  
‘C-can I eat now?!’ before you could control yourself, you exclaim the words happily, like a little kid that was waiting to open its presents on its birthday. The killer didn’t fail to notice your tone and fell silent once again, gazing into your lit up eyes silently, pausing midway and eventually sitting back down.  
  
The staring contest continued for a bit more, but eventually, you saw his shoulders loosen up.  
  
‘I’m going to free your right hand. If you try anything, I will not hesitate to cut it.’ He threatens.  
  
He didn’t have to repeat himself twice, you had already leaned your torso to your left side, getting as far away as you could from your other side, to give him a clear opening towards your right hand and show complete obedience in order to be able to eat. Surprisingly enough you had stayed on his good side for now, so why screw everything up now that he was offering you food and water? Your heart was beating hard and –as usual- unevenly inside your chest as he took a step closer and grabbed the handcuff on his hands. His gloved fingers flew over the lock and with an ever-so-soft clicking sound, you left the cold iron loosen around your wrist and your hand to fall limply on your side.  
  
Before he even took a step back to sit back down in front of you, you had already dived forward and snatched the first slice of bread with your hand, bringing it fast towards your mouth.  
  
The taste was far better than you could ever imagine. The soft and somewhat sweet texture and taste of the bread was so heavenly, that a small sob of pure bliss came out from your chest and tears bubbled in the sides of your eyes. Such a humble food can provide someone with such happiness that it really sounds ridiculous to everyday people, the ones that always have what they want, whenever they want it. They don’t know what it’s like to starve so much that you forget what bread tastes like. They don’t know what a simple slice of bread can do to a starving person. As you went for the next slice, you were happy to find out that your control over your body was slowly beginning to come back; the constant sleepiness was going away and your legs and hands didn’t feel alien to you anymore. As you drank some water before you proceeded to eat the next slice of bread, you allowed yourself to look at the man who was responsible for you current state and demise.  
  
He was looking at you silently –or at least you thought so since his mask was following your every movement-, betraying absolutely nothing from his true thoughts. Even as he sat down, he had this weird aura of complete danger and threat, making the hair in the back of your neck stand up and throw you almost over the edge or madness itself. The key to your handcuffs was still on his gloved hands, which you noticed that had the very same color as his skin; it was impossible for a man, no, for a human to have this kind of skin color, yet here he is to prove you wrong. Just who the hell was he? He hadn’t even told you his name yet, but something deep down made you hesitant of asking altogether. If you could just take the key away from him, maybe, just maybe, you would have some chances of escaping. Of getting the hell out of this place. Yeah, he must be more than capable of stopping you, but who the hell knows when the next time he feeds you will be. When the time he finally decides to kill you is. You had to at least try, now that there was the chance.  
  
And so you did.  
  
As you finally finished with your last piece of bread and drank from the water bottle, you made sure to leave some water behind. You lowered the bottle, swallowing hard and your plan fell into motion.  
  
With one sharp move, you throw the last water where you supposed his eyes were. The water indeed leaves the bottle and upon impact, a small surprised exclamation sounded and his head backed away, yet you dived towards him. Your free hand was quick to shot up and grab the small silver key from the man’s hands, the moment that your foot found its way straight on his chest, kicking him as hard as your worn out body could muster up the moment a wild scream leaves your lips. With a wild happiness and relief, you saw him fall back to the ground, his head hitting it so hard, it produced a chilling cracking sound, yet you had no time for that. It was now or never.  
  
Turning your head towards the left, you desperately try to find the lock and put the key inside, continuing to kick towards all possible directions, in hopes to produce enough damage to him to allow you just enough time to escape from this hellhole. The moment you manage to place the key in the lock, is the moment that you feel a hand grab your foot hard, but you scream once again and kick, trying to buy some time. There is a low animalistic growl and the moment you turn the key, a black shadow flashes. What happens next was as if you saw and felt it through a true dream. The animalistic growl that seemed to come out of the darkest abyss sounds like a gunshot inside your eyes, making you want to cover your ears and scream till your lungs give out. Tears flow from your eyes as a hand tangles itself inside your hair and another one touches the right side of your face.  
  
And then, your head connects with the concrete wall.  
  
You didn’t feel the pain; no, it seemed that you were too numb to be able to feel the pain the first time, yet the second time, you heard an awful cracking sound and something warm and liquid started dripping down your neck. Your hand let go of the key and your vision immediately blurred so much, that reality and dream started getting tangled together in a hazy image of darkness and the medical lab you were inside. The third time that your head hit the wall, you could hear only your heart, your breath and his breath, as he leaned on your ear and whispered so angrily, you were sure that a demon was talking to you, trying to get you to hand over your very soul.  
  
‘Since it appears that you have no brain activity, next time you try that again, I’m going to take one of your kidneys, half of your liver and many, _many_ more things. Don’t forget that you are only alive because you are _my_ experiment and you stay alive because _I_ want so. Don’t test me again, or you’ll lose much more than simply your pathetic little life.’ He whispers and releases you.  
  
Due to the numbness that the hits graced you with, you were completely unable to keep yourself up, so you watch yourself fall back into the ground, unable to do the slightest of moves to prevent anything and with your head resting on the cold floor, filling it with blood that came out of your skull. In a blur, you see the man stand up once again and his hazy form begins to retreat once again as he exits the room. What had you done? Why did you think this was a good idea? Please, please, don’t close the light behind you strange man, please don’t leave you there in the darkness. Your lips open up to speak, to literally beg him not to close the light and apologize for your behavior, for hurting him, for even thinking of escaping, for begging him not to leave you in the dark, but the only thing that comes out of them is your shrieking low breath. Your heart is now pounding hard inside your chest, sending more blood to be poured out of your head and the tears flow in abundance from your once bright and filled with hope (e/c) eyes.  
  
You see the door open. You see him exit. And then the lights go out once again.  
  
You were once again inside the complete darkness. Cold and wounded.  
  
Loud sobs reverberated from the depths of your chest, a mixture of the pain from your head but also from your sheer terror to be once again alone in here. Your head was throbbing, but now that the hits had stopped, your brain wasn’t so hazy and was completely able to understand how foolishly you had just acted. It was conscious enough to understand the fear that washed over you, once the divine source of light was once again gone. You didn’t care if he was mad at you or if he was going to kill you, no. The most mortifying thing he had done to you, was to leave you once again inside the darkness. You were scared….you were so, so scared. The last time you were scared was when you were back at your house, when your stepfather Jake…. Yes, it was the only time you were scared. Your mind struggled to suppress the memories, yet it produced one thought. One single thought that was able to save you.  
  
There was only one way to chase the fear away…  
  
You gently closed your eyes, trying to gather your thoughts and push them together. Your mouth opened and…  
  
_‘_ _Call me a liar, a king or a fool, but sing me a song of prosperity… Higher and higher the further we fall…Hard to remember…’_  
  
That’s it! Your voice fills the darkness and somehow, it doesn’t seem so threatening anymore. If you can just continue singing and not pass out…God your head hurts so much!  
  
_‘I will surrender and I'll always wait; Wait as in all of eternity…Hard to remember, and hard to forget…The shadow that hangs over me…’_  
  
Man, you felt so calm right now….You weren’t alone…. You weren’t all alone inside the darkness.  
  
‘ _Take me home, to a house on a hill, in oblivion…and take away the shadow over me!...Cry me a river but once you run dry, say there's a reason you do…. Godless endeavors, smothered and broken; all that I wanted was you.’_  
  


**~*~**  


  
Why, why had he allowed himself to relax around the girl?! It was without a question, a stupid thing to do and his throbbing chest was aching now along with his face, a sure sign that the girl wasn’t like the rest of her kind. Because with all the kicking around she had done, one of the kicks had found EJ straight in the face; the mask protected him from a whole lot more damage, but it pained him nonetheless. It was utterly stupid to relax around her, since she had proven in the past as well, that she was not the type to be taken lightly or without caution and EJ was now paying the price dearly. How was he able to overlook the fact that she was enough daring to begin with, to attempt to get the key that would set her free right from EJ’s hands? She was a b@lsy one, he would give her that. Yet, it was futile right from the start.  
  
Grumbling more to himself than to anyone else, EJ walked over to his drawer and opening one of them, pulled another mask from the interior, proceeding to briefly change it with the one he was wearing now. He didn’t know how the girl did that, but her kick managed to crack the mask a little bit. EJ had lost his temper a little bit back there, but he was sure that the cracks on her skull wouldn’t leave a mark behind or damage her in any other way, solely because he wasn’t done with her yet. He wasn’t done playing her around and observing both the way she acted and the way she thought. What an interesting experiment. Fire never left her eyes, not even after a whole week without food or water. He was positive that she would have chosen the pills in order to survive, so he was somehow surprised to see her choose the food instead. Before she threw her whole temper tantrum, she was obedient enough to answer him, mainly because she thought that he would otherwise take her food away –which he would do, if he knew what would come up next-. Yet, she provided him with plenty of info to think about. Who was her friend that she so fiercely accused him of killing? And the girl that she told him that survived the killings, must not be of any threat to him, since she is locked up in an asylum. Maybe he could pay her a visit sometime in the future, just to make sure.  
  
But for now, he had a fresh toy to play with, that was providing him with enough fun. Maybe he could take a kidney or cut off some of her liver. She doesn’t need them anyway and he wouldn’t keep her around for long either way. She was just a living snack. A mouthwatering, breathing, human snack. Her life didn’t matter.  
  
‘ _Take me home, to a house on a hill, in oblivion…..Where souls never die all alone!!! You're longing for love, not for sympathy….. so take away the shadow over me..’_  
  
What was that?!  
  
EJ’s empty gaze scanned the whole place up, looking for the sound that suddenly filled his room, as softly and as lightly, like the fresh breeze on a summer day, reaching the killer’s ears and filling them with a sound so heavenly like that made a shiver go down his spine. It was alluring and breathtaking and curiously enough, he was sure that he had heard it once again.  
  
But where?  
  
He knew not if it was his longing for the sound or his killer instincts that made him focus his empty gaze on the single door that separated his room from his lab, fixating on the sound that came from behind, but he surprisingly found himself glad that he had found the source of the sound. It was right then that realization hit him; the girl was singing. His mouth half opened behind his mask and his body unwillingly took a step towards the door. How could he forget?! How could he forget that his little experiment was able to sing so charismatically? Again, he found his conscience clear up and his brain to be drawn towards the sound, making him act like he was high or something. But boy, oh boy, did he craved to listen to this sound all day long…  
  
‘ _Under the starlight you shine in solitude…..Eyes on the ocean and far beyond west of the moon….!’_  
  
His hand came gently in contact with the cold door of the lab and his head turned so that his ear could rest on it, picking up the sound a whole lot easier than before. This sound….this heavenly voice… how dare he forget…  
  
‘ _Take me home, to a house on a hill, in oblivion….Where souls never die all alone…You're longing for love, not for sympathy…..Over the hills…’_  
  
As he sat down in front of the door, head resting on the door and clear from all the thoughts about madness and murder, rendering him able to feel… sane….if he was allowed to speak this word ever again, a small sigh of relief left his hidden under the mask lips and he closed his empty eye sockets. He couldn’t kill her yet. Maybe he could keep her around until her voice seizes to have an effect on him. Until her narcotic influence stops.  
  
‘ _Home, to your house on a hill, to oblivion…. Where souls never die all alone! You're longing for love, not for sympathy……..So take away the shadow over me!’_  
  
Damn.  
  
How long was he inside the darkness…alone….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song you were singing was House On A Hill by Kamelot.


	11. Chapter 11 Deal With The Devil

  
_The girl’s little body shook violently, as her petite feet backed away with extreme caution, since pure fear had filled her whole existence, her innocent mind desperately looking for a way out of this hellish situation that she had caused without knowing. But the way out was nowhere to be found and as if that wasn’t enough, all she saw was a sharp move and almost immediately, her head turned to the side and pain laced her left cheek, spreading from her jaw, all the way up to her eye. Her bright (e/c) orbs immediately bubbled with tears, which were fast to cascade her small face, dripping down from her cheeks and reaching the cold floor._  
  
 _‘HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU _____? ARE YOU RETARDED?! DID I GIVE BIRTH TO A RETARDED GIRL?’ a woman screamed with all her might, slapping you across the face one more time._  
  
 _‘B-but mommy, y-you said I-I could have one after lunch…’ you managed to choke out, trying not to gaze inside your mother’s eyes in case this infuriated her more._  
  
 _‘SHUT UP! DON’T YOU F*CKING DARE TALK BACK TO ME.’ she grabbed you hard by the shoulders and shook you so hard, that your small neck was unable to withstand the weight of your head, which ended up swinging back and forth violently ‘You are just like your father! A good-for-nothing little sh!t!’ she screamed at your face ‘Now go to your room and make me forget that you even exist, or else you’ll regret being born, you little brat!’_  
  
 _Before she had even finished her sentence, you had already darted out of the kitchen and up the stairs, rushing to your room and closing the door behind you, before you shoved yourself into the plain mattress that was your bed, covering yourself with the soft blankets and allowing your tears to fall freely from your eyes. Your tiny body was shaking violently by the frequent sobs and the tears never seized to fall. Your cheeks were hurting you like hell and you were sure that the bruises were already forming. And all of this torment for a tinny cookie. For just one cookie that your childish heart wanted. Was it so much to ask? But your mother was always like that, from the moment you first remember her…_  
  
 _*Tick* *tick* *tack*_  
  
 _Hmmm, what was that? It sounded like someone was throwing tiny rocks at your window…Could it be?!_  
  
 _In the flash of the second, you throw your covers aside and stomp on you tiny feet, before racing with all your might towards the only window of your room, immediately peeking outside to the neighborhood which was under the attack of heavy rain. Your teary eyes scan the whole place up, until they meet with a pair of sky blue ones; a boy, probably around twelve years old is standing in your yard, under your window, wearing a totally black hoodie and without paying the slightest attention to the torrential rain, he was smiling brightly to you. Before you even had the chance to think about it, you find yourself wiping the tears away, raising your own hoodie and opening the window, passing on the thick branch of the nearby tree and skillfully descending towards the ground._  
  
 _‘Hey, wanna go for a cupcake?’ Jack beams at you, showing his whole allowance that was safely tucked inside his hoodie pocket. Yet, when you see his blue eyes fall on your little face, his smile turns into a frown ‘She hit you again?’ he whispers, clenching his fists with anger._  
  
 _‘She told me not to eat a cookie before lunch, so I ate it after lunch. She got really mad this time.’ you whisper, sobs threatening to come out of your small chest._  
  
 _Two arms grab you hard by the sides and Jack pulls you into a big bear hug, with you wrapping your hands around him and starting crying on his hoodie. At least he was here for you._  
  
 _‘Don’t cry ______, I don’t want you to cry! What do you say I buy you two cupcakes?’ he exclaims and steps back, looking at your crying face and smiling ‘Let’s go _____.’_  
  
 _He grabs your fragile hand in his own and turning, he starts running towards the vast neighborhood road that was still pestered by the torrential rain. You try as much as you can to run behind him, but your small legs pose some kind of difficulty for you, so you do your absolute best to not fall behind. His warm hand around yours though is what you want to continue running along with him without the slightest complain, the reassurance that whatever happens, he will always be by your side, helping and protecting you. And you were content with that._  
  
 _As you run through the big streets, you don’t fail to notice that the rain has caused a solid and luxurious mist to spread around, covering the whole scenery and eating away any trace of colors. Yes, the whole place around you failed to have any color at all, surrendering into a misty grey and white color. The houses could no longer be made out at all and as you run further and further towards what seemed like the heart of the mist, you fail to even see anything else but Jack. Terror strikes your young heart and your breathing hitches, as you turn frantically towards Jack, trying to make out where you were going._  
  
 _‘Jack!.... Jack stop!’ you yell towards him ‘I can’t breathe!’_  
  
 _‘Just a little bit more ______. Don’t give up now!’ you hear him say, but right at that moment, his hand slips from your grasp._  
  
 _Your lungs inhale a sharp breath and your eyes open wide with surprise as you see your hand slip away from the boy’s grasp for just mere millimeters; yes, if you just quickened your pace for a bit more, you would be able to grab his hand once again, yet the moment that happens, the moment you let him go for just a fraction of a second, your best friend disappears out of thin air. Like his existence never was inside this world, he simply vanishes right in front of your terror-seized eyes and in his place, a pure white anemone remains inside your protruding hand, strangely enough, the only remnant that he ever existed, that he walked this earth. Abruptly, your feet come to a stop and your head turns into every possible direction, trying desperately to peer through the fog and find your best friend, denying the fact that he might be lost forever, that he must left you behind and went somewhere where you cannot follow him. No, Jack would never do that to you._  
  
 _‘JACK! JACK, WHERE ARE YOU?!’ you scream, clutching the fragile white flower against your chest ‘JACK I’M SCARED!’_  
  
 _Nothing._  
  
 _You were greeted only by the deafening silence which succeeded your words. No matter the direction you were looking at, no matter where you looked intensely through the mist, Jack was nowhere to be found. And you were scared. You were scared because this mist appeared as if it swallowed everything living around her, even if this was your friend, your words, or even your own existence. And God may have mercy, you knew not what monstrosities it could produce._  
  
 _‘JAAAAAACK!’_  
  
 _‘________ …’_  
  
 _Your heart literally skipped a beat in the sound of your name. The yell that was about to come out of your lips got drowned somewhere within your lungs and your brain refused to take in the information you were given. Because you knew this voice; you knew to whom it belonged and it meant everything but good. It was a dangerous and hellish voice, coming straight out of the deepest pits of hell, yet it had some kind of allure in it, you had to admit at least that. Without having control over your own body, you slowly but steadily feel your legs turn you towards him, turn you towards the demon that has been reaping away your life day by day and the demon that has most probably killed your best friend. So as your eyes bore themselves into that eternally crying black tears mask, you can’t help but feel your lungs inhale sharply._  
  
 _He was standing there; just a few meters away from your vulnerable form, the man with the navy blue mask. His auburn-colored hair was now completely freed from his hood, as he had thrown it back, enabling the cold wind to rush among them and make them wave in the faint breeze. His whole stance was loose, but you knew better than that, so you immediately saw that he was holding onto his bloody scalpel with his left hand, while on his right hand, he was holding to your complete surprise, a luxurious blue anemone._  
  
 _‘The game is over ______.’ He says, his voice barely above a whisper and sounding triumphant ‘I finally got you.’_  
  
Your eyes flash open almost immediately and you are blinded by the bright light that has flooded the whole cold and white room, making your hands fly on your eyes immediately and a whimper to leave your parched lips. God damn, what is happening now? Wait a second, why are the lights open? You were still inside the lab right? Well, the rattling of the chains around your wrists was a proof of that along with the sheer cold that was penetrating your sides, but the last thing you could remember is falling asleep inside the total darkness… but now…..light must mean nothing good.  
  
You remove your hands abruptly from your eyes that have adjusted finally to the light and as you gaze towards the room, your breath immediately is cut short and out of pure instinct, your body shivers violently and backs away towards the wall behind you, trying to get as far away as it could from the blue masked man that was sitting only inches away from you, his head tilted to the side as he was observing you while you were sleeping. Thankfully, your scream never left your lips but your head hurt you immensely under the sudden movements; yet the man appeared to be completely undisturbed by your actions, not paying the slightest attention to you backing away from him as he continued to observe you, tilting his head to the other side, a movement that reminded you of a curious dog…maybe? Whatever it was, anger shot up inside of you and you furiously looked towards the black holes of his mask, where you supposed his eyes were.  
  
‘What the hell do you want now? Haven’t you tortured me enough?!’ you angrily blurt out, before you really had the chance to control your furious self.  
  
In your sharp words that seemed to echo inside the cold room, he straightens his head once again and you can clearly feel his absurd empty gaze fall on you, like a concrete wall that came in hard contact with your face. He remains silent though, allowing the tensed silence to fall among you, which only made you angrier. You were done playing games and definitely the beating game.  
  
‘How is your head? Do you have any memory blurriness, difficulty in speaking or thinking or any other symptom?’ his voice forms the words next, seemingly even and betraying nothing of his true thoughts.  
  
The question though, was what caught you by surprise ‘W-What?’  
  
‘Do you have any memory loss, difficulty in forming coherent sentences, difficulty in thinking or understanding what I’m telling you?’ he cocked his head to the side once again.  
  
This is weird. Way too weird ‘Well, no… I don’t think I have any of these. Why?’ your eyebrows furry in confusion, unable for the very first time to understand from where those questions originated or what caused them. Because you were not so idiotic to even think that he suddenly was worried about your well being, not when he was the one that crashed your head on the wall, trying to crash it like a porcelain vase. No, murderers do not have any feelings of remorse or anything like that. Then what did he want?  
  
‘Can you speak with ease?’ he continued on with his questions. It was a bit as if you were responding to a doctor after a serious surgery.  
  
‘Yes.’ You replied cautiously.  
  
‘Then sing.’  
  
Well, to be honest you were pretty sure that no matter how hard he had hit your head against the wall, the blast didn’t leave you with any problems, but as these particular words left his lips, you were pretty sure that he had said something else and your injury messed up with the message that your brain took in. Did he just ask you to sing? I mean…really? No, it was impossible, why the hell would he ask you to sing to him? Weird things man, this was impossible. Confusion must have been written all over your face, because you heard him sigh wearily under his mask and he repeated his question patiently.  
  
‘Sing. Now.’ He demanded, his voice strict and urgent.  
  
Yep, you had heard correctly. As his words settled in, you were unsure if you should laugh or not. He was really asking you to sing.  
  
‘No. I have no reason to.’ You reply smugly, giving him a sly smile full of irony.  
  
‘If you don’t sing’ he cut you off and stuffing his hand on the pocket of his hoodie, he took out a syringe, filled with a menacingly looking green liquid ‘I’ll stab you in the throat with this and you’ll never be able to speak again. Quite the deal, don’t you think?’  
  
In this declaration, your smile dropped into a frown and anger bubbled up inside of you once again ‘Who the hell do you think you are, threatening me and trying to make me do things that I don’t want?!’ you demand to know.  
  
‘If you have forgotten, let me remind you that I am the one that decides whether you live or not. I told you before, you are my experiment and if you fail to meet my expectations, I will simply dispose of you. Do I make myself clear?’  
  
‘And how do I know that you won’t kill me after I do finish singing?’  
  
‘You don’t.’  
  
‘Well this is reassuring.’ You roll your eyes.  
  
‘I’m not here to offer you comfort ______.’  
  
You press your lips together, pondering upon what you should do. If you infuriated him this time, you were sure that this needle will come in contact with your neck and you were positive that he wasn’t fooling around when he said that you won’t be able to talk afterwards. So you should oblige to his request and sing? Why for? What would he earn if he listened to you sing? Your analytical mind was racing and finally came to the conclusion that you would sing, especially when you saw him take the needle in his hands and begin to play a bit with it, something that appeared more threatening to your eyes than it really was. But you would keep an eye out; you would look for any indications that he had his guard down or any other clues, so that you could take advantage of it afterwards. Maybe this was your chance to discover the key to your escaper. And it was barely one song.  
  
‘Well, fine.’ You finally back down ‘Do you have a preference maybe?’ you ironically ask him.  
  
‘Whatever suits you.’ he says.  
  
‘Fine.’  
  
You give it a little bit of thought, but eventually decide on one of your favorites. It was short as well, so you would be done with it quick. You inhale and exhale, trying to relax your nerves a little bit and then you open your mouth.  
  
‘ _Witness, tell me, what you think of my life?… Judge me, jury, if I’m wrong or I’m right… I’ve got secrets and lies that would blow your mind!.... You’re the one who taught me not to love; I’m the one who taught you to say no….. Away I go, away I go-o away, I am a ghost.._ ’  
  
As you sang, your eyes were cautiously nailed on the man, waiting patiently for any movement of his body, any small clue that would allow you to find his weak spot. At first, when you started singing, his whole posture became stiff and his dark gaze fell on you, but it was nothing as when he was talking at you; he was looking at you like a normal person, like all the tension that was hidden within him had suddenly gone away. After that split second passed, you saw his shoulders relax for barely a millimeter, leaning forward a little bit, like he was so tired that he couldn’t keep himself standing straight. His hand let go of their tight grip on the needle and loosened up, resting against his knees peacefully.  
  
It was peculiar, but it seemed like he relaxed a little bit; like the murderous aura that always surrounded him like a black mist that covered his head was suddenly gone and he was finally able to think beyond the madness that surely pestered his mind. A true wonder if you could say; it could definitely be some kind of advantage for you if you were able to play your cards right; and you would, since it was the only advantage you had right now. A serial killer with no human emotions that was drawn by your voice. If only you knew in the past, that this attribute would turn into your advantage some day.  
  
_‘_ _Jesus, save me I’m in love with this hell…! Murder, madness, can’t escape from myself… I’ve got secrets and lies that would change your life! You’re the one who taught me not to love; I’m the one who taught you to say no… Slow down, slow down, slow down, don’t let go…. Away I go, away I go-o away…… I am a ghost_ _..’_ you sang the last of the lyrics and then fell silent.  
  
And silence was all that greeted you once you did finish. You didn’t speak, he didn’t speak; you just stared at each other, with your brain working by a thousand miles per second, since all your observations about your voice and the effect on him were coming true. He was standing perfectly still, like he hadn’t even understood that the song was over. Well, things were bound to get interesting.  
  
Then, after what seemed like eons, he leaned back and the dark aura returned around his head.  
  
‘Sing again.’ He demanded.  
  
‘No.’ you smiled deviously at him, but when his hand flashed forward and grabbed you from the neck, you rushed to explain yourself ‘I want to make a deal with you before I do sing.’ You blurt out, as his fingers started to cut off your air supply.  
  
He said nothing, only leaned his head to the side ‘A deal?’  
  
You nodded ‘Y-yes.’ You swallowed hard, trying not to pay any attention to his tight grip ‘I can and will sing for you all day long, anytime you ask me to do so, without complaining at all. In return, I want you to bring me food and my medication.’  
  
‘You really are an airhead or a suicidal right? You really do believe you can make a deal with me?’ his voice was obviously mocking you and for a split second doubt passed from your mind, yet you decided to play it all.  
  
‘I’m only asking you for something to eat and then I’ll do whatever you ask me. I won’t even try to escape anymore, you have my word.’  
  
In your words he simply sighs and removes his hand from around your neck. Then, instead of resting it beside him, he places it on his mask gently and pushes it further up, revealing what was hidden behind. And it was that fact that drained all color from your face. Because as his coal black skin came into view, you noticed that his lips were pushed up in a devious smile, revealing the two sharp lines of shark-like teeth. The scream drowned once again inside of you, as in a mere blink of an eye, he had grabbed you from the neck and slammed your head on the wall, bringing his head millimeters away from yours, leaning over to your ear, with his sturdy body completely covering you, making you highly aware that he was a lot more dangerous and ready to kill you at any given moment. What appeared to be sharp nails dig themselves inside your neck, injuring you even under the protective fabric of his gloves. But when he finally whispered to you, when he whispered inside your ear, his voice was low and nothing like you had ever heard before; it was demonic, coming straight out of the pits of hell itself.  
  
‘You seriously believe that I will give in to your request or that you do have a chance to escape this place? You think that I’m the only one that wants and can kill you in here?’ he purrs and then you feel him grab your chains and with a hard yank, he breaks them, before he takes them in his hands and backs away, pulling them along with him, yanking you towards him as well ‘Let me show you something.’  
  
He was pulling your chains along with him, with your hands aching you so much that screams started coming out of your mouth as you tried to pull your hands away from him, while he dragged you along the floor, making his way towards the door of the lab. Seeing it, you began to toss and turn, screaming with all your might like a lunatic and pulling your chains, trying to prevent him from pulling you even further, since the fear that washed over you for what you were about to see if you did cross that door, was so strong, that your heart started paining you immediately, reacting to the loud heart beating. Instead of stopping though, he simply turned and slapped you across the face, so hard, that stars begun to pass right in front of your eyes and you stopped fighting him altogether, allowing him to open the door and pass to the next room, which surprisingly enough, was a bedroom.  
  
A huge, old-looking, double bed was resting against the opposite wall with two large libraries on each side of it that were literally overloaded with books. Various things and clothes were tossed here and there, while the wooden flood creaked with every step he took and he threw you just a few steps away from the first door, leading you to hurt your already injured hands as you pushed them forward to protect yourself out of instinct. You inhaled a breath sharply and looking around, you noticed that out of the single window inside the room, the sun was setting behind a luxurious pine forest. Still, your attention was shortly cut off, as he grabbed your head and turned it towards the other direction, pointing towards a second door.  
  
‘You see that door _____?’ he says menacingly on your ear ‘Outside of this door lurk far greater nightmares than me. If you do have some chances of living inside here, once you pass this door, you are already dead. Pray to whatever God you believe in for the door to stay shut, because if it doesn’t, your life will be over in the most gruesome way. And when I say that you’ll be eaten alive, I mean it, do you understand?’  
  
His grip tightens on your neck and you are forced to nod, gulping hard.  
  
‘Good. Now, do not try to negotiate with me again, because I’m going to have your head served on a plate, understood?’ he breathes out ‘Never. make. a. deal. with. the. devil.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song you are singing is Witness by 30 Seconds To Mars


	12. Chapter 12 Doctor’s Appointment

_What a peculiar girl_ , EJ thought as he paced up and down his own room, gathering some of his books and going through them once again, so that he would be able to revise all the information he was going to need. It wasn’t such a difficult thing to do, since the always organized killer knew exactly where he put everything, so searching through the heavy books of his libraries was not such a difficult task. He was one of the few inside the mansion to devote some of their personal space to store up some books, but despite the effectiveness when it was necessary to consult them, the majority of the killers just refused to keep their own. But EJ was not among them and always found ways to enrich his collection. And now here they are, proving that it was the best idea to do so. All the information that he needed was inside those anatomy books and he was more than eager to put them into action. So when he stepped in front of his lab door and turned the doorknob, he was determined that he had anything he needed to proceed.  
  
The door creaked lightly under his grasp and he opened it all the way, his eternally crying royal blue mask immediately scanning the pitch blackness of the lab to locate the small figure that was resting against the floor, in the farthest left corner. Despite the lack of any light, he was perfectly able to see her, an advantage that his Creepypasta nature bestowed him with. And right there, curled up in a small ball, was the girl that had managed to peak his interest. How on earth a mere human had managed to do that, was beyond the killer’s high intelligence and comprehension; it was a wonder that not even him could find out and thus, grew more and more with each passing day that he had her around him.  
  
Indeed, the fire that always burned behind her eyes was everlasting and not to be overshadowed by anything, not even in the many attempts he did to scare the fire away; to drive her off the edge of what made her human and push her beyond the boundary of mere terror. At first he thought that doing what he did with all the victims he brought up here would be enough; a bit of intimidating and showing that their lives were on the first line of fire, was usually more than enough to break all resistance even to the most durables. It needed time yes, but not more than a week or so and of course as he made sure that they would come face to face with his monstrous characteristics. The coal black skin, the shark teeth. Yes, that was enough to give them a clear picture that what they dealt with was not in any way human and making them realize that there was no way out and death was the only thing that could offer them salvation- if they were lucky enough to die quickly.  
  
And then, here is this particular girl. _______.  
  
No matter the times he had threatened her life, no matter the days he had left her to starve, no matter what he did to show her that he was not human, nothing, absolutely nothing seemed to faze her in the slightest. Yes, she was intimidated a few times; the specks of fear lightened up inside her eyes like small sparks of fire that flashed and then disappeared in thin smoke. But nothing lasted. Even when fear consumed her at times, even if he left her in the darkness wounded and scared beyond belief, when he would come back, he would find her once again up on her feet and with the fire inside her burning loudly like an insatiable fire from the pits of hell. She was looking at him straight in the eye; she didn’t hesitate to speak her mind. Yes, she was cautious and uptight, but never failed to face him head on and never cowered back. She was the first one to try and negotiate with him. Like, did she even think it was a good idea? What did she think she would accomplish? She was mere flesh and a nice meal waiting to be devoured, yet she tried to stand up for herself. Still, EJ knew that this last one-on-one the two of them had, must have made it clear that he wasn’t fooling around and that she had no way to negotiate with him. Because he wanted to kill her. He wanted to rip her chest open and snatch away her peculiar heart and proceed to eat it right away, watching her as she would drown in her own blood. His killer instincts were twitching inside of him; just one small movement and her neck will break. Just a bit more pressure and her skull would shatter under his hand; it was that easy to kill her and he found himself dreaming of what her organs would taste like. Would they be as dream-haunting as her voice?  
  
Yes, they would! They could feed him for many days to come or he could just store them up for special occasions. Yeah. He bets that her kidneys would have a divine taste. How mouthwatering!  
  
 _There she is EJ, it’s the perfect opportunity. Kill her. She won’t even see it coming! It would be so easy!_ , the voice whispered inside his mind. Yes… it was indeed a great opportunity! His mouth watered, coating the shark teeth and he took a threatening step towards the little girl’s direction, his delusional and crazed mind flashing with all the endless ways he could make her blood adorn the cold walls; he would have to clean it up afterwards, but who the hell cared? He would have gotten himself a first-class meal.  
  
Yet, as he did that one single step and as the images flashed before his empty gaze, they were all shortly succeeded by the memories of her haunting voice; the divine sound flooded EJ like something warm in the coldest day of winter, wrapping around his mind and driving away all the maddening thoughts and drugging him. Yes, it was addictive. The sound this girl produce was addictive like the most powerful drug in the world and once the killer had experienced it, there was absolutely no going back. If he had to describe it for the sake of keeping what was left of his mind, he would describe it as when you are intoxicated; the numbing effect runs through your veins like a chilling mist that consumes your whole existence, offering you a way out of this damned world of chaos and madness, it leaves you breathless, unable to move at all and craving hard just to get one more glimpse of the divine gift. Once you had heard it, you were unable to run away. Once you have tasted it, you are already damned. Nothing was equal to that…  
  
_Pipe, bird, voice: none of these match that sound, whose like perhaps has vanished from the earth: not words, but sound so light… too soft to echo even from close by. Whether close by or distant I knew not, like the scent of May there wafted on the air...the sweetest, inexplicable… Such power as this have Love and Death alone…_ the words suddenly popped inside EJ’s deranged mind. And oh, how much they fitted her.  
  
So, he halted his movements towards her and sighed. He couldn’t kill her. No, not yet.  
  
This girl was just lucky beyond imagination; he would give her that as well.  
  
He turned towards the wall and hit the switch, turning the strong lights of the lab on, sinking the whole place into pure white light. He made his way over to his stuff and started preparing the doctor’s bed that decorated the center of the room. He pulled some of the drawers open, taking out many of the tools he would be needing and laying them all in the small portable table beside him, making perfectly sure that they were properly cleaned and well-preserved. Fiddling a little bit with the medical machines around the room, he checked everything again and again so that he had everything he needed. Every now and then he would spare the girl a little glance, only to find out that she was peacefully sleeping away, completely undisturbed by his presence or even the lights that shone brightly above her head. She really didn’t have a danger meter inside of her right? She just slept the danger away, not giving a single care.  
  
But all of this would soon come to an end, when EJ filled a syringe with a clear, transparent liquid and holding it carefully on his hand, made his way towards her. His combat boots sounded like gunshots in the total silence and the sound of his breath reached his own ears, as he kneeled down near the girl and raised his free hand.  
  
‘Wake up.’ he demanded ‘Wake up now.’  


~ * ~

  
  
  
You were floating peacefully inside the blackness of sleep. Everything was so serene around you and no matter how cold you were, how much your own body shook, you wanted to just stay there forever; protected and hidden away from all the problems that you were facing when you were awake. Like the fact that you had been kidnapped, the blue masked man that was anything but human and the fact that you would probably never find out what happened to Jack. All of these things were clouding your mind, making you want to find just a small escape by numbing the pain away from your fragile heart. And the sleep that wrapped around you like a chilling veil after the man tossed you inside the lab once again was just that; a numbing escape from the reality which you gladly accepted. It was the best deal that you could get, since as things were now, you were probably going to die inside this cold and merciless white cell. Time was running out and you were sure that death was on his way to claim your weary soul for his collection.  
  
Yet, you couldn’t spare thinking things like that right now. What really mattered was to find a way out of this hellhole before it was too late. The man tried to make it perfectly clear that in the case you attempted to escape, you would die and not by his hand, since far more dangerous things lurked outside his room; but you knew better. You knew that the only monster in here is him and it was rendered necessary to get as far away from him as possible, before he decided to end your life himself. So, you had decided to utilize any given opportunity to do just that. Escape. The opportunity would soon present itself, since good things come to those who wait. You would exploit any opening to the fullest. You had to get out of here yesterday and even if you knew that you were unable to take him down, you would surely outsmart him.  
  
Yes. This was the solution to all of your problems; thinking things through and utilizing every possibility.  
  
It was right at that point, that something invaded your cold sanctuary, reaching deep down inside the darkness and piercing your thoughts through; it was a voice. A low, controlled and alluring voice, which was speaking your name. Your conscience immediately responded to the call and started shifting and focusing away from the dream-like state, but your heart struggled to keep it in place. It was a battle already lost though, since by the time the voice sounded a third time, you felt yourself being ejected back into reality, in an awakening that was in no way calm. And that was only enhanced, when your weary eyes finally opened and you came face to face with the all-too-familiar royal blue mask that was mere millimeters away from your own face.  
  
Your brain just denied taking in the information at first; your eyebrows furrowed in confusion but when you realized what was going on, your head immediately leaned backwards, trying to regain the personal space that you had lost as the man hovered above you. Still, you were unable to go even further back, since his sturdy hands were wrapped harshly around your delicate shoulders and with even this small movement, your back connected with the wall behind it. You realized that you were trapped among him and the wall, far beyond your heart started racing by the closeness. Anger bubbled up immediately inside of you and your mouth fell open as an angry expression spread over your face.  
  
‘What the hell do you want?’  
  
‘Do I finally have you attention?’ he responds, his voice even.  
  
‘Is that your idea of waking people up?’  
  
‘I see that you are awake. Good.’ he ignores your words.  
  
Before you even have the chance to take in what is going on, he grabs your chin and turns your head so that your whole neck is exposed to him and all you see afterwards is a silver flash, before the stinging pain of the needle piercing your skin shots up inside of you. Surprise penetrates you and you open your mouth to scream, but everything has ended before you manage to do so; he takes the needle off and stands on his feet once again pacing away from you and into the brightly lit room. Your chained hand flies to your neck in surprise, but you feel nothing else but a slight numbness where the needle injected you.  
  
‘What did you do to me now?! Haven’t you put me through enough already?’ you demand to know, nailing your furious gaze on his relaxed figure.  
  
‘You do not have to worry.’ He says as he inspects some of his medical tools ‘It is just a mild anesthetic that will keep you obedient. It will take just a few moments to take effect.’ His tone was even, but still made your heart lose some beats ‘If I wanted to kill you, anesthetic was not going to do the trick for me.’  
  
‘Oh, geez thanks for the tip on that.’ you bite out, your head starting to get dizzy ‘What do you want the anesthetic for though?’  
  
‘This is the fun part actually.’ Even if you couldn’t see it, you could hear the smirk on his voice ‘I am going to examine you.’  
  
‘Come again?’ you weren’t sure if it was your imagination or the blurriness that the anesthetic which ran through your veins gave you that made you fail to hear what he had just said. D!mn this thing does take effect fast! Your brain is feeling strangely euphoric right now and little by little you find it all too difficult to move even a little bit. Strange numbness… not annoying though…  
  
‘I am going to examine the state of your heart to see what you are suffering from. It would be easier for me to know how much time you have left and since you are not willing to tell me, I will learn it myself.’  
  
He was about to examine you himself. He was about to make you undergo a full medical examination because you didn’t tell him what was wrong with you. He really believed he would be able to find it. He wasn’t just a murderous b!stard, he was also delusional. You wanted to be mad at him this time, you wanted to open your mouth and yell at him that you were not going to undergo through nothing, but as your mouth did open and you inhaled a sharp breath, instead of screaming at him, your brain must have messed up the messages and instead begun to laugh. As your mouth opened, a violent bubble emerged from deep within your chest and burst out into a fit of laughter, making you almost fold in two, hugging your belly with everything you had, trying to breathe in. You laughed and laughed and laughed and you were sure that his gaze had fallen on you and that it was growing darker with each passing second, yet you simply could not stop yourself from falling into this fit of laughter.  
  
Tears of absolute joy filled your eyes and rolled down your cheeks and for a split second you just forgot where you were, the monster that was looking at you quite puzzled and angry and the fact that you were chained up and completely on his mercy. No, instead you chose to laugh at his face with his sad attempts to find out what you had. Like this was ever possible without you telling. Hell, even the doctors that did find out had a hard time to do so and now a mere man thought that this was possible?! So laughable.  
  
Slowly but steadily, your laugher started to die out, since the anesthesia with which he had injected you loosed up your muscles and you slowly started to stop, just in time when he walked up to you, undoing your chains and lifting you up in his sturdy arms with one swift movement, walking back towards the doctor’s bed in the middle of the room.  
  
‘Care to explain what is so funny?’ his voice was a mixture of curiosity and slight, ever-so-faint anger.  
  
‘The fact that you really believe that you can find out.’ You hear yourself say from afar, since your whole body now felt alien and your vision was a bit blurred by the anesthesia ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but you will fail so hard!’ another laugh left your lips.  
  
Something metallic clinked beside you and two portable medical tables appeared, one on your right that was filled with needles and one on your left that was filled with medical tools ‘And what makes you believe that I’m unable to find out?’ he surely sounded cocky a little bit.  
  
‘Because not even the doctors couldn’t find it at first.’ You shrug ‘So failure is at hand for ya.’ You laughed more. D!mn that anesthesia.  
  
‘We will see ______.’ He comments, turning some machinery on and placing some taps on you. Before you know it, the sound of your heartbeat fills the room, coming straight out of the cardiographer and able to betray all the emotions you are feeling. Well, that you would be feeling if the drug didn’t keep you under check. His attention is solely turned towards it and you are sure that he is studying it closely, making is own observations.  
  
‘You know, I never really got your name.’ you mumble, half asleep-half laughing. You didn’t know this was possible until you experienced it.  
  
He didn’t even seem to respond to your sentence and you were about to ask him again, when he spoke, stare glued on the monitor screen ‘That is because I never told you.’  
  
‘Care to tell me now?’ you ask sheepishly.  
  
‘Is it necessary or one of your concerns?’  
  
‘It’s only fair to know the name of the one that’ll kill me.’ you shrug.  
  
‘Fair enough.’ He simply said ‘It’s EJ.’  
  
‘I would say nice to meet you, but it’s not good to lie.’ You mock him and burst out laughing once again. As you do though, you notice that part of the control over your body is being restored; your torso seemed ever-so-slightly lighter than before and your head was not so heavy. Did this mean that the anesthesia is wearing off a bit? He didn’t give you too much, that was for sure, because your vision cleared a bit by the movement. This was interesting, yet you were still unable to do anything.  
  
‘It appears that you constantly have arrhythmias and palpitations, which are so progressed that are now constant.’ He says, more to himself than to you and completely ignoring your comment ‘You have trouble running for too long, you suffer for more exhaustion that normal and faint easily. You fainted when I chased you out of the forest. Right?’ he questions you.  
  
‘Well yes.’ Comes the natural lie out of your lips. The anesthesia helps you cover up your traces and carefully, you slip your hand under the bed, flexing your fingers to wear off the effects of the drug faster.  
  
You had allowed him to think about your condition without disturbing him, mostly because you were currently evaluating your surroundings. He had left the door of the lab wide open, obviously believing that the drug he injected you with, would be enough to restrain you down as a prisoner inside your very own body, something that lead him not to tie you up on the bed as well. A fatal mistake if you took advantage of the situation properly. It was the perfect opportunity for you, if you just somehow managed to make the effects of the anesthesia wear off, something that you were currently fighting for with all your might. Your eyes had briefly fallen on numerous heavy stuff, which your brain evaluated to be a very good distraction that could slow him down, if you had the chance and the gut to hit him with one of them. Then, he would at least be disoriented for a few minutes, giving you the chance to get the hell out of here and possibly escape from this d!mned place. You just had to play your cards right and continue trying to fight off the drug. Yes, your vision was still a bit hazy, but you would deal with this in time as well.  
  
You must not screw this up.  
  
EJ proceeded into taking some blood samples from your hand and went around the room talking to himself about his ideas and possibilities about your condition and he just could not appear less sane to you than when he started arguing with himself. Literally. He was asking and answering his own questions, at the same time that he connected more machines to you and made a few more tests.  
  
‘Heavy heart failure. That must be a symptom though. What the hell is it then?’ He murmured for the millionth time.  
  
‘Are we done yet? I’m getting tired over here.’ You whine as he comes closer to you, his figure blurred a bit, but his blue mask still standing out.  
  
‘Shut up.’ his hand wraps around your neck in no time, drowning your complains along with your breath ‘It’s over when I say so.’ He says and it was only right then that you notice that he had his scalpel at hand and not only that, but he was leaning it dangerously close towards your neck.  
  
Your eyes open wide with surprise and you cease all of your movements, watching in pure horror as he takes his hand back and lowers it on your blouse, taking a hold of the fine fabric and placing the scalpel on it.  
  
‘What the hell do you think you are doing?!’ you demand to know, tossing as much as you could, trying to get away from the sharp object. Fear had laced your voice perfectly, something that he surely noticed, since his empty black stare turned to you and he tilted his head to the side, observing you.  
  
‘Searching for any conglomerations of blood on your skin. So I am removing the extra fabric.’  
  
‘The blouse is not coming off. I can reassure you that I do not have any.’ You answer him quickly and obviously panicked.  
  
He remained silent for a bit ‘I don’t believe you.’  
  
‘Don’t care if you don’t, the blouse stays on.’ You demand, blushing hard. You were absolutely not going to allow him to tear the fabric away and expose yourself to his deranged stare and the dark blush was also not helping you.  
  
The machines that were connected with you were going crazy, but that was nothing compared to what they did when you heard a tearing sound and cold air came in gentle touch with the skin of your chest. Your head immediately perked up, only to see him tear the fabric through, revealing your bra and your exposed skin to him. Instinctively, your lungs inhaled a sharp breath and your hands flew to cover you up, but he was quick to grab them and forcefully place them on your sides once again, with you struggling with all your might to protect yourself, letting out small screams of pure anger and trying to hit him with everything you had- or at least were provided to you through the anesthesia. Still, you had to defend yourself and if that required you kicking or punching him, so be it. Like, who knows what ideas would get in his head and you absolutely did not want him examining you like that. He tried to pin your hands down and stop you from constantly moving around like a lunatic, letting out a hellish growl that would be taunting, if you were not crazed as well at the moment. Your head perked up and you tried to bite his hands off from yours, but before you knew it, his hand hit you hard in the nose, which opened immediately, filling you with the hot red blood that tickled down and stained your (s/c) skin.  
  
A pained scream left your lips, and taking advantage of the situation, he pins your hands to the sides, leaning closely to you, whispering to your ear with a voice that came straight out of the pits of hell.  
  
‘If you move a single muscle, I’m going to cut off your hands.’ he threatened and by the shiver that went down your spine, you knew he meant it ‘I am tolerant towards you today, but do not test me; I will be examining you, so stay still.’  
  
You swallowed hard and said nothing.  
  
‘Good.’ he was smiling, you could tell.  
  
He leaned back once again and his hidden stare turned towards your exposed chest, examining it inch by inch. This stirred a very uneasy feeling inside of you; you didn’t like that you were exposed like that and definitely not under his hidden gaze, which betrayed nothing about what he was thinking, making it only worse for your already horrified mind. Your inner instincts begged you to place your hands and try to hide away, but you knew that by doing so, you would infuriate him more and nothing good would come from this. So, even if your inner voice was screaming to you to protect yourself and cover up, you applied all of your strength to keep your hands perfectly glued to your sides, as he was inspecting your body and honestly, pray for the best. Yet, he was doing absolutely nothing else but looking at you, trying to figure out what was wrong without even moving his hands as well. It was then that his stare fell on a strange mark that you had on the upper side of your chest, exactly where your heart was located.  
  
‘What is that?’ he asked, pointing at the mark ‘Did you have a heart transplant?’  
  
You nodded and blushed uneasily. F*ck this sh!t ‘No, I underwent a surgery so that they could see my heart from up close and figure out what I had.’ You reply honestly.  
  
He seemed to be thinking about it for a bit ‘Then’ he said ‘You wouldn’t mind if I took a close peek right?’  
  
His question wasn’t really one that you could answer, as he averted his gaze to his tools, switching into a rather ominous looking scalpel, that was a bit different from the others. He was going to open you up like a dead body and you were sure about it. So, your brain acted quickly, responding to the most ancient instincts of all times; that of self-preservation. You see your right hand shot up towards the small portable table on your right and your delicate fingers wrap around one of the syringes for literally dear life-right now is your chance to live or to die; it’s all or nothing. Your exposed torso turns and before you realize what is going on, you fling the needle towards him, stabbing him in the neck and injecting him with whatever was inside. For the first time in a while, he is completely taken by surprise.  
  
A low growl leaves his lips and he takes a few steps away from you, his hand flying on his neck and his movements a bit disoriented; he didn’t see it coming and for now, his brain is unable to take in the info. THAT WAS YOUR CHANCE!  
  
Throwing your feet to the side, you stand up on them and try with whatever strength was left inside of you to make your way towards the door. Your heart is pounding so loudly, that it’s as if it is about to pop out of your chest and fall limply on the cold floor. The continuous lack of your medication and the adrenaline that was now coursing through you like hot lava was a dangerous mix that could lead you to your demise, but right now, this was the last thing you were thinking about. Because right now, you are groggily making your way towards the door of the lab. Right now, you are literally struggling to wear off the last traces of the anesthesia and make your feet move faster and more steadily, hearing all at the same time, his pained growls reverberating from behind you. Right now you are passing the lab door and heading straight towards the door of the room, ready to wrap your hands around the doorknob and lead yourself to salvation. You pay absolutely no attention to your chest that is still exposed; you pay no attention to the blood that is dripping down your nose. You only care about moving faster and without collapsing from the dizziness and reaching the salvation door.  
  
One step.  
  
Two steps.  
  
You raise your hand towards the doorknob, pure bliss infiltrating your heart as you touch the cold metal and…  
  
A knock is heard coming from behind the door.  
  
‘EJ, are you in dude?’ a gruff, low voice comes from behind, making you freeze on spot.  
  
Out of nowhere, a gloved hand falls on your mouth, depriving you from uttering a single word and another sturdy one wraps around your petite waist, pulling you against a toned chest of someone far more muscular than you, stopping you from advancing forward and even raising you up a little bit, with your feet disconnecting from the floor as EJ pulled you into what would be his lethal embrace. The scream was drowned inside his glove and once his voice sounded, you were sure that it must belong to a demon; no matter how low it was, it made your heart almost stop. It was threatening and twisted all at the same time.  
  
‘You will pay for this.’  
  
Next thing you knew was your body coming in hard contact with the lab floor and the door closing right in front of you, taking away all the chances of survival that you had almost grasped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem that EJ was thinking is The Cretan by Dionysios Solomos.


	13. Chapter 13 What A Broken Heart

_You folded your hands over your chest and exhaled deeply. Your hot breath came out as nothing more but a small cloud of humidity, being visible to everyone around you as it was possible only when winter was present and all around you. You watched as the cloud disintegrated into nothingness, before your (e/c) orbs scanned the whole place around you, trying calmly to locate one particular happy face, which you had been waiting for, for half an hour now._  
  
 _The cold December nights came as a veil of darkness and coldness every time the sun decided to plunge himself onto the horizon and allow the earth to be engulfed by the haunting darkness, which was only highlighted even more, since the snow that had fallen the previous days gave everything a small touch of wonder since the stars and the silver plate that decorated the night sky since the start of time, the moon, shone brightly and lazily, throwing a bit of eerie light on nature, turning her into what you would see if your dreams were plagued only by nightmares. Some would say that it was a chilling and horrifying thing to see, but after some days people started to adjust, engulfing it into their unavoidable every-day lives and paying little to no attention to the haunting beauty around them. It was just another winter night for them and the ones that had jobs or business to attend to, became quickly accustomed to them like the rest of the winter’s nights and went about their daily lives like there was nothing to capture their wildest imaginations or make them stop and admire what Mother Nature is capable of creating._  
  
 _And it was just another night for you as well._  
  
 _Tightening your worn out and a million-times-patched-together coat, you try to prevent your body from shivering or giving in to the intense coldness that prevailed around you. It was a task easier said than done, since it required all of your concentration and will not to give in and start shaking like a leaf in the strong wind current that appeared as if it was waging some kind of war against your petite figure, as you simply stood under the heavy neon light that were emitted from the cinema boards right beside you, gazing around you as people passed by, going around with their lives. The cold was growing along with your temper, since you had been standing out here like a total idiot for about half an hour, waiting patiently for Jack to come, after he finishes his shift on a near-by restaurant. It was the beginning of the Christmas holidays and both of you thought it would be appropriate to celebrate by seeing a movie and grabbing a cup of hot coco on your way back home afterwards._  
  
 _Yet, here you are now, still waiting for your best friend to come, boiling in rage since he had specifically promised you that he wasn’t going to be late today; a promise that was too often broken in the past as a last-minute-detail would always pop out and make him run late. If it was any other night you would wave it off as you always did, yet today, not only was it cold beyond belief, but you had sneaked out of your house taking along a small part of the money you had earned today, when Jake took you out singing on some random streets around town. You were pretty careful and daring to take some off from his pocket and if the man found out –somehow he had a strange way of always finding out- you would be cast out of the house for the night, to sleep on the snow. You smiled to yourself; okay, Jack would never allow you to do sleep outside on a night like this, so you would probably spend the night on his room, sleeping together under his warm blankets, but it would be amazing if you were spared the torture of the lecture for tonight. Because boy, oh boy, things could get ugly when Jake was mad. Nevertheless, this was money that you alone earned by singing around town, so even if he didn’t want to give you, you still took some when you were desperate._  
  
 _Like today. Today that marked the beginning of school-free days and the ability to spent some more time with Jack, which had became something much more than just a need to be around someone, since the only person that you considered to be close to you and practically the closest thing that you had to a family, was going away to college this summer. From one point of view, you were excited about him; it was his life-long dream to finally be away from his strict family and able to build a future not for himself only, but for you as well. He was leaving for the both of you. To have a better future together and finally away from the mental and physical abuse both of you were subjected in. Alas, no matter how much you tried to convince yourself that it was for just a few years, you knew deep down inside your heart, that you were sad. Sad because you were going to miss him; because he was going away and leaving you behind, even if that applied for just a little while. What if he forgot his promise to you? What if he never came back for you? You knew that it was impossible for someone to forget the person they grew up with, but if you were sure about something, was that people change and forget who was beside them when they were all alone, fighting the darkness away alongside them; when they were at their most vulnerable point. They forget the ones that truly were there and turn them into nothing more that distant memories of ages that have passed._  
  
 _You shook your head, fighting away the tears. No! You refused to believe that Jack was like any other human on earth. No! He was your best friend and the only person that you would gladly sacrifice your life for, without anything like a second thought. You were sure that he would come back and that you would be able to continue your lives together. Because it was the two of you against the world. So it has been years before and so it is now._  
  
 _You sigh yet again._  
  
 _For now, he would have to treat you into some pretty huge bowl of nachos if he didn’t want you to pout throughout the whole night._  
  
 _The street had grown somewhat empty, since most of the movies had already started, so the sidewalk outside the cinema was kind of empty, except from your own lonely figure, who was tapping your foot restlessly on the cold floor growing impatient by the minute. A few people where coming and going or a lone car happened to pass by every now and then, but still, no living soul was seen, making you tighten your scarf around your neck a bit, since the total silence always seemed to make you a bit uneasy and restless. That was, until you heard two voices coming from the alleyway behind you._  
  
 _Both of them were loud and clear and without even turning to look, you knew that they belonged to two males. You took a few steps forward and closer to the edge of the sidewalk, trying to act nonchalantly, while your gaze fell on them briefly, since human nature and curiosity always seemed to take the best of you. It came as no surprise when you discovered that they were around Jack’s age; barely 18 years old, they were dressed in baggy clothes that formed many layers, since they were used in an attempt to fight off the coldness of the night. The one on the right had short, really curly blonde hair and a bit of child-like face, since puberty hadn’t completely finished its work just yet, allowing some of the childish roundness just around his jawline. The other one though, had long dark brown hair that were caught with a small band behind his back and his face was pestered by whiskers, that grew along his jawline. They were talking loudly among themselves and obviously laughing at a joke that you were unable to hear._  
  
 _Averting your gaze, you decided that you had given them enough of your attention, so you went back on looking down the road in case you saw Jack coming. The two men though, seemed to notice your presence, since you heard a pretty loud wolf-whistle break through the total silence. Yet in response, you only rolled your eyes in annoyance; you didn’t have time for these kinds of things._  
  
 _But this didn’t mean that they hadn’t._  
  
 _‘Hey sweet-cheeks. Whatcha doin’ out here all alone?’ one of them said._  
  
 _You spared them no word or glance and instead, tried to make your way inside the cinema, in an attempt to get them off your back, but as you turned, the blonde one stepped right in front of you, offering a big grin that was cocky and arrogant._  
  
 _‘What happened? Cat got your tongue?’ he leaned in towards you and out of reflex, you leaned your head back._  
  
 _‘Get lost weirdoes.’ You throw angrily and try to walk past him, but once again he blocks you with a fluid motion._  
  
 _‘Oh come on, don’t be such a buzz-killer. We just want to hang out with ya, since you are all alone out in the cold.’ The brown haired one winks at you. You barely stopped yourself from gagging theatrically in disgust._  
  
 _Rolling your eyes, you fold your hands on your chest ‘I’m not alone; I’m currently waiting for a friend that’ll come any minute now.’ You offer them your only reply, finally losing all of your patience. That was the last thing that you needed right now: two idiots trying to make a move on you._  
  
 _The blonde man looks up and down the deserted road and as he does so, you can see his grin becoming wider and wider, until his eyes fall back on you._  
  
 _‘No one’s coming sweet-cheeks.’ He announces triumphantly._   
  
_'Take another step towards me and you’ll get kicked.' you said as menacingly as you could, as the blonde took a step towards you, grabbing your hand and trying to pull you towards him._  
  
 _'Come on gorgeous. We just want to have fun." He said trying, and failing, to convince you, since the glare he was giving you made you debate on whether you should kick him where the sun never shines._  
  
 _'Your voice is beautiful. I wonder if it is so nice when you scream." The other winked at you._  
  
 _‘Go to hell!’ is the only thing you say, before you land your hand hard on his cheek, gracing him with a hard slap across the face._  
  
 _At first he was taken aback; his eyes grew wider and his hand flew on his cheek, the very same moment that you felt your heart pounding loudly inside your chest and your breathing becoming heavier. This was not going to end well._  
  
 _‘You b!tch!’ he yells at you and the only thing you see is his hand being raised in the air and then becoming nothing more but a blur._  
  
 _Move! For the love of God MOVE! you scream to yourself mentally, but your body not only had sensed the inevitability of the situation, but had locked you in place, unable to do not even the slightest move to react and protect yourself. But what did it let you do? It let you close your eyes. Your (e/c)orbs close as you prepare for the collision that would be soon to fall upon you and there was nothing to stop it. Inches away… you could almost feel the electricity that was emitted from his hand towards the delicate skin of your face._  
  
 _Out of nowhere, you feel a presence appear right beside you and a familiar aroma of peppered chocolate reaches your nose, something that has an immediate triggering effect with your mind that immediately relaxes as a response to the scent. Your heart freezes and your mind empties. But you are still unable to open your eyes, even if the slap never comes._  
  
 _‘I don’t think this is a way to treat a lady.’ A voice says from inches away from you and a shiver runs down your spine._  
  
 _Your eyes open wide with surprise and your head immediately perks up, only to see none other than Jack, standing so close by your side that you could literally feel the heat that is radiating from his body like a strong summer wave. He wasn’t looking at you; instead, his fierce sapphire blue eyes were so filled with pure anger that was boiling slowly inside of them, that you were sure that you hadn’t seen this look on him in all the years you knew him. It was kind of scary to say the least and you found yourself completely engulfed by your surprise and fear, that you were completely unable to utter a single word or even move a single muscle in fear that all the wrath would fall upon you. He had grabbed the hand of the one that tried to hit you with his own hard, throwing his other one protectively around your waist, pulling you against him in a protective way that did not take a no for an answer. In comparison to the other two, he was at least a head taller than them and in his threatening view, both men looked as intimidated as you, taking a step back each._  
  
 _‘Sorry man, w-we didn’t know she was with you.’ the brown-haired one tried to explain, but Jack’s gaze only darkened._  
  
 _‘Get the f*ck out of here.’ The words left his mouth calmly, but your heart almost stopped inside your chest from the sheer fear that washed over you._  
  
 _He didn’t have to repeat himself twice; in his words the men threw a scared gaze among themselves, turned, and left far quicker than normal, something that you were sure revealed their fear. Silence fell between you and Jack as you watched them leave, but in contrast to your best friend’s eyes that were still nailed on the two men, you had turned and focused solely on him, watching as the darkness that had clouded his once kind eyes subsided slowly and steadily; how was this possible?! How can a man turn his personality around 180°? Yet, when he turned and smiled at you, he was once again, the man you knew._  
  
 _‘Sorry for being late love; I had to run an errand.’ He offers the surprised you a huge, kind and sincere smile._  
  
 _‘I-it’s okay.’ It was a great thing that you had even managed to whisper this single line._  
  
 _‘I’m going to treat you in some candies to make it up for you.’ he continued, gently leading you towards the main entrance of the cinema ‘How about we watch an action movie this time?’_  
  
 _‘Jack.’ you bring him into an abrupt stop. He turns to look at you, only to see a determined and half confused look plastered on your face ‘What was that back there?’_  
  
 _Your tone was demanding. Even you could hear it. But instead he smiled even wider._  
  
 _‘I’m not going to let anyone hurt my little _______.’ He simply shrugged and pulled you into one of his signature bear hugs, burying you inside his arms, kissing the top of your head tenderly ‘I’ll always protect my ______ and that’s a promise.’_  
  


**~ * ~**

  
  
  
The cold, metallic pair of scissors shook violently, making its two different edges collide with each other, producing a stern and sharp sound that filled the death-like silence of the medical room, sounding even higher than your heavy breathing. Every now and then, a small drop of a strange liquid would find its way to the steady ground, splashing ever-so-softly on it, staining the otherwise clean white floor with small drops of red, which produced patterns that were breathtaking, resembling petite and delicate red flowers scattered around on the white tiles. But this was not just a strange and unidentified liquid and the collision of the scissors was not just a mindless play that a child had picked up out of boredom. No, the reality of the situation was far from innocent and even touched the edges of paranoia and insanity, able to stain even the clearest of minds that happened to fall inside the field of action.  
  
And that was, because the red liquid was nothing more than blood. Pure, luxuriously deep red blood that was coming out of your opened nose, racing against your delicate (s/c) skin and making its way down to your chin only to drip down to the floor nonchalantly, completely forgotten by your weary mind that was turning with million turns per second, trying desperately to find a possible way out of this situation. And yes, your brain might be in a complete distress, but the survival instincts that still lurk inside of us all were awakened in this fatal moment and found a way to protect you: the pair of surgical scissors was held tightly inside your desperate grasp, with your fingers flexing and tightening so much around it, since all of your instincts knew that this was for dear life. Your hands held the scissors against your chest, which was going up and down in an uneven manner, since your heavy breathing was something you found yourself unable to control; your heart was beating so loudly, that sheer pain was resonating through her, making you want to scream with each beat it took, something that only worsened your deteriorating breathing since there was nothing you could do about it.  
  
Yet, your face was turned towards the door that was now closed right beside you and your body found the steady wall a rare gift from Heavens that was able to keep you standing firmly on your feet, which were unwillingly shaking. What had you done? Why were you so stubborn and utterly an airhead, to believe that there was a chance to get away when he was so close?! What part of this plan sounded like it was going to work? From the whole incident, it was clearer than your impending death, that the liquid inside the syringe not only didn’t stop him, but it failed to affect him altogether. What kind of man was he or, what kind of liquid did he have inside that syringe? But all that fell apart like a tower of cards in the strong wind when the voice sounded behind that hellish door; at first you had strongly believed that EJ was just messing with you and you were all alone inside whatever the hell this building is, but you were in for an unpleasant surprise when the gruff voice of another male sounded. It wasn’t as demonic as EJ’s, but it surely sounded psychotic, since it had that….that particular hue or note or sound that made you come to an abrupt stop and wish that you had never set foot towards that door.  
  
So now, you are currently standing beside the door of the medical lab, overhearing the conversation that EJ and the psychotic man shared right now; you couldn’t quite discern what they were talking about, but you could hear their tones being serious and laconical, talking fast among themselves. Making your best efforts to stay calm and think clearly, you knew that once EJ would come back, your life was going to end; he specifically said that you were going to pay about your actions and you were sure that the price would be your life. Before you had even decided if death would bring you salvation or even more restlessness, your mind decided to give one last fight, grabbing the first weapon that happened to be around and preparing for the inevitable collision…There! The creaking sound of the door closing was the final straw of your already doomed attempts and as the heavy steps came closer to the door, you prepared for your last fight, taking in a deep breath.  
  
Everything stood still; it was as if time had decided to stop and take along with him any little sound that was filling the air, leaving behind only the chilling silence that penetrated your mind. Then, when that single moment passed, the door creaked open, hiding you behind it and a certain someone stepped inside the room.  
  
The reaction of your brain was immediate.  
  
Screaming, you raised the scissors over your head and lunged towards the masked male that stood tall on the door with all the sheer determination that was fueling you, aiming for the place where his eyes should be, literally ejecting yourself from behind the door and paying absolutely no mind to your racing heart that was making you want to scream from the pain, nor to the blood that kept dripping down your face; no, now, you had the single purpose of hurting him long enough to be able to immobilize him or if that didn’t work, just protect yourself for a little bit. And the plan seemed to work, for at least the moment you catapulted yourself towards him.  
  
Because as you moved your hand downwards towards the eye socket of the mask, a gloved hand shot up from nowhere and caught yours in mid-air without a single trace that he was either caught by surprise by the sudden attack or that the situation posed even the faintest difficulty to him. No, it was all too easy for him. Surprise penetrated your mind as the cold hand wrapped around you and the next thing you felt, was a knee coming in hard contact with your stomach. Everything around you blurred and you felt your body fall backwards in a mere second, landing hard on the cold floor, as a pained scream left your lips and your hands flew to cover your pained stomach in a desperate attempt to ease the pain, that made you feel as your guts were about to spill out. For a moment, pain was all that you could feel, as it washed away inside the empty spaces of your mind, consuming your consciousness to the very limit; for a moment, you knew not who you were or where you were. It would be good to let go for a moment if it wasn’t for the pain of course.  
  
‘You are really incapable of understanding one single, simple thing. You really have some kind of medical inability to process all the information.’ His voice sounded mocking from the door and his heavy boots took a step forward and towards you.  
  
‘Don’t come near me.’ you threatened, raising the pair of scissors, but you were completely unable to see a single thing ‘Don’t you dare touch me!’  
  
There was the sound of clothes rustling with each other, as well as the sound of boots against the floor; he was coming near you, walking with his leisure in order to reach you and when he did, you could feel his presence looming threatenly above you, as you desperately tried to pick yourself up, like a silent storm preparing to let hell break loose.  
  
‘Unfortunately for you’ he comments and even if you can’t see him, you could swear that he was tilting his head to the side ‘You don’t get to decide that.’  
  
As he finishes his threatening sentence, everything happens within a blur for you.  
  
The pitch black combat boot gently touches the skin of your left hand, the very same hand that was holding the pair of scissors and that was protruding now, as you were lying on the cold floor. The next thing you feel is an enormous pressure that is applied on your delicate hand and almost immediately, a chilling cracking sound reverberates inside the total silence. One single split second of curiosity is enough before your mouth falls open and a bloodcurdling scream leaves your lips, since pain makes you fold in two, holding on to your shattered hand and with tears rolling down your face in abundance; you were completely unable to move your hand even for a single inch and even touching it in the slightest made more pain wash over you, as you literally writhe in pain in front of his feet, but the cold-blooded killer was not in the least satisfied.  
  
Another kick finds you straight in the stomach, and this time you choke up a considerable amount of blood, which spills on the cold floor and on the boots, as you are desperately trying to breathe through the pain; your heart is pounding so hard inside your chest, that you are afraid it’s going to burst any minute now and the strong hits that keep on coming do nothing to help it relax. On the contrary, they bring you one step closer to death. The back of your head opens up again and blood trickles down the wall and your already torn blouse, more cracking sounds that come from your chest notify you that many of your ribs are being broken and the silent killer does nothing else but to continue hitting you while being completely silent, with only your voice sounding tormenting inside the bare walls of the room. And this is what causes your surprise; as your conscience manages with great difficulty to divide the part of your brain that is receiving the blasts and the part of you that can still think –a rare gift at this kind of situation- you can’t help but notice that he doesn’t utter a single word. He doesn’t laugh in happiness for the pain that he is inflicting you, nor does he complain about what you made him do; he just stands there, completely emotionless, delivering your punishment in silence.  
  
But all these thoughts are soon lost within you, since the pain is starting to become unbearable. Tears and blood cloud your vision and with great difficulty, you open your mouth.  
  
‘S….stop!....P-lease….st-op…!’ you beg him, half-yelling half-trying not to anger him. You had never begged another human being in your whole life; no, you always endured what was in store for you with patience and without showing any emotions, yet now, the only thing you are able to find yourself doing is begging and crying, trying desperately to make him stop.  
  
And then, the next hit never came. The pain it was going to bring you never came and you were left there, on the floor, breathless, hugging yourself for dear life as you bled away on the cold tiles, puzzled beyond imagination as why the hit never came… why didn’t it come? Had you grown so numb from the pain that you could feel nothing anymore…? No, no, this can’t be it…. You can see his dark figure looming above you and the blue mask leaned on your face and you were sure that he was studying you behind the darkness of the black holes; yet, you were unable to form inside your mind why he had stopped hitting you… Had he grown tired of doing it? No, this would be something impossible for a cold-blooded killer like him. Had you finally died? The stinging pain that your heart resonated throughout your body and the pain from your now limp and broken left hand were the only insurances that you were still alive or at least for the time being. No matter what it was, you felt a strong wave of relief wash inside of you like a strong wave that hits the sore on a rainy day and even if it was possible, you smirked in relief the best you could, leaning your head completely down on the floor and taking a deep breath that came out like a hiss from your injured lungs.  
  
Then, his dark figure seemed to come closer to you, as he leaned beside you, tilting his head to the side. Your heart pounded even harder inside your chest from the sheer fear, but you failed to found the strength to move away. Instead, he raised his hand and cupping your chin in his two fingers, he turned your face, so that he was able to gaze in your bloodied face better.  
  
‘Did you have enough of the punishment?’ he asked.  
  
You nodded.  
  
‘What was that? Respond as a person, or I’ll take it that you didn’t have enough.’  
  
‘…Y-yes….’ You coughed up weakly.  
  
‘Is it clear why I punished you?’  
  
‘…Y-y…es….’  
  
‘Do you have any idea how lucky you are that my friend did not open the door?’  
  
‘Y….es.’  
  
‘Will you try to escape again?’   
  
You swallowed hard and tears rolled down your face ‘N-o.’  
  
‘Good.’ he simply said ‘I am keeping you here for a reason and in case that door opened today, I would be unable to keep you alive. If you act so foolishly, you will only bring death upon you sooner. Do you understand?’  
  
‘…Y-y..es…..I…I…under-sta…nd.’ Blood was oozing out of your mouth more and more and it was fairly difficult to answer him.  
  
Out of nowhere though, he grabbed your hands in the blink of an eye and inside all the blurriness, you felt him pin your hands on your side –without further injuring your broken one- and his mask coming a few inches away from your face, so much, that you were under the impression that you could indeed hear his ever-so-faint breath. The closeness though, triggered all alerts inside your mind, making the milky mist that had taken over it turn a faint red tint, as fear and anger was now racing against your conscience, in a battle to take over your body; you did not like the fact that he had pinned you on the floor and that he was now above you, his body mere inches away from yours, but your pained limps had no strength left to do anything about it whatsoever. Your heartbeat became one continuous buzz and pain shot up from the depths of it, making you unable to focus and wanting to scream from the pain. The days that you were off your pills only made the pain worse and you were scared for the first time in your whole life about what he had in store for you next.  
  
So when you saw him place a hand on his mask and pull it up, just enough to reveal his hellish mouth and his nose, you couldn’t suppress a small yelp and your eyes focused hazily on him, as he graced you with a large smile and leaned towards your neck slowly. He leaned in, his face coming so close to your skin that you felt his cold breath falling on your skin and then…he sniffed. He sniffed your skin and afterwards, you were absolutely sure, even under your heavy disorientation and pain, he smiled.  
  
‘For a human female, you surely do smell good.’ he took in another deep breath of your aroma ‘Jasmine.’ He whispered lazily.  
  
‘D-don’t….c-c-ome any closer…’ you attempted to threaten him, but your voice came out shaky and just above a whisper. Cursing the Gods for that, you swallowed hard, more tears falling from your eyes.  
  
‘I can’t hear you.’ he chuckled darkly ‘Worry not though; all the injuries I gave you are not fatal. It will take some time, but you will eventually heal after I treat them. I only gave them to you, because you disobeyed me. Is that clear?’  
  
You opened your mouth to answer him, but instead, your heart decided to send more blood on your mouth, making you choke. Her beating had long ago become more and more faint, more and more slow, making your brain panic, but there was still nothing you could do.  
  
Still, he didn’t wait for you to give him an answer.  
  
‘I would hate to lose my experiment before I manage to study it fully ______. And despite the fact that I’m a killer, I am also a male and I could hurt you in more ways that you can imagine. Still, I choose not to. You should be thankful.’  
  
His delusions had completely taken over his mind, making him abandon his usually emotionless façade, the one which he barely spoke, and now he was speaking to you without really expecting a response, giving in to his madness that had consumed his whole mind. One misstep and he could kill you in an instant, without thinking much about it. But you were in for more trouble and his insanity outburst was something that was the least of your problems right now.  
  
‘So you will listen to what I tell you from now on. Are we clear?’  
  
No response.  
  
‘Answer me ______.’  
  
Instead of an answer though, when you opened your mouth to answer him a big bubble of blood came out, making you drown and your lungs to desperately try to reject the liquid that had penetrated them. In a mere second, you found yourself prisoner inside your very own body, which rendered you completely unable to move a single muscle and ejected your consciousness back inside your mind, making you see the whole world through your eyes as if you were looking at a big cinema screen. You saw the man that was responsible for your misery and despair, EJ, tilt his head to the side the very same moment that a violent convulsion broke through your exposed chest, arcing your back and throwing you hard back at the floor, only to be accompanied my many more that resonated from your broken heart. EJ grabbed your shoulders and tried to immobilize you, but if you could, you would laugh at his futile attempts to stop the seizure that was allowing hell to break lose.  
  
Because you knew what was happening; you had experienced it in the past and you were experiencing it now and just like back then, you were once again unable to do nothing else but stare as the world around you tried to figure out what was going on. But you knew. You were able to hear it, if you wanted to be exact. The beating, that was frantic and uneven at one moment and then the next started to decrease. Slowly, one beat at the time, it became more and more faint, more and more weak. Your heart was stopping and you were left in horror to wait for the end.  
  
Maybe that was what you asked for…maybe this time, you would be unable to get through this heart attack. Maybe God had finally listened to your prayers and He had decided that it was time to take you to the only place where you would be happy, completely relieved from the torture that every-day life had in store for you: it would take you where Jack is. So as you were seeing EJ finally click and understand what was going on, you felt your soul smile, knowing that you were far away for him to hurt you anymore. You were finally free and in some more seconds, you would be able to reunite with Jack; oh, how much you craved the sweet release of death. And finally, you were almost touching it.  
  
_Ba-dump._  
  
 _Ba-dump._  
  
 _Ba-dump._  
  
…………  
  
You smiled, as your last heartbeat resonated through your body and your heart finally stayed still. Your eyes flickered and darkness penetrated your vision, leaving behind the blue masked man and the hell that you called your life. But before you had the chance to allow it to eat you up completely, one single sentence reverberated in your ears.  
  
 _‘You will die only when I will tell you to.’_


	14. Chapter 14 Through The Night

_The street with the high skyscrapers was filled with people going up and down the whole place, walking fast towards their destinations in an attempt to save some time from their busy schedule. Loud talking could be heard from all around you, with the usual sounds of the city being way too loud and clear, as the commotion only created a happy and vigorous buzz, consisted of both human voices and the honking of the various cars that were speeding past you on the street._

_Still, you were barely even giving them any attention as you happily gamboled down the street, a huge smile seemingly plastered on your small lips and your adorable pink school bag hanging loosely from your back. You had just finished your first day at kindergarten and you were more than simply excited, since you had made a lot of new friends and talked to literally everyone. One of your friends was a shy boy named Jack! Oh, how much you played and drew together; you surely wished that you would see him again tomorrow! He liked the color blue, he was a bit older and didn’t smile much, but you would make him smile no matter what! Maybe if you brought him some cookies? You didn’t know. Maybe play with him more? The giraffe he drew was awesome though._

_‘So how was your day ______?’ a happy, male voice said from beside you._

_You turned and your bright (e/c) eyes nailed themselves on the smiling face of your father. He had managed to come pick you up, just as he promised and something told you that he was way more excited about your day than you were. His filled with kindness (e/c) eyes betrayed nothing more than pure happiness to see you smile, no matter the heavy and dark bags that were hanging under his eyes and the shadow of tiredness that had stayed permanently on his eyes. His complexion was matching yours and despite the fact that you shared a strong resemblance with your mother, everyone was saying that you were as kind as him. In his words, you smile even brighter and swing your entwined hands, chuckling with pure bliss._

_‘It was so much fun daddy! I got to make friends!’ you shrieked out in delight._

_Raising his eyebrows, he grins ‘How many did you make?’_

_‘Ummm, five if I count Jack as well! We all played and drew together!’_

_‘Really?’ he questions you happily ‘And who might Jack be?’_

_‘He is a shy boy that just came into town with his parents! I saw him being all alone so I kept him company. ’_

_In your words, his eyes soften even more and he places his hand on your head, stroking your hair tenderly, with a fatherly smile on his face ‘You did well ______.’_

_‘OUT OF THE WAY! OUT OF THE WAY!’ somebody yelled from behind you and your father pulled you to the side, just in time before two men passed you by, running with all their might towards a certain place up ahead on the street._

_They were both wearing white suits with a distinguishable red cross printed on them and in their view, the pedestrians moved to the side, making way for them to pass among them and head towards a place where lots of people had gathered, seemingly looking towards something down on the pavement and speaking among them in total shock. Your father said nothing when you gazed at him quizzically, but instead, he just picked you up in his arms with his attention completely drawn to the place with the many bystanders, as he too walked up towards it. Now that he had picked you up, it was a lot easier to gaze around you, so you quite easily found the two men with the white robes, kneeling beside a very dirty and old man that was sitting against the wall with his head leaned on his shoulder. His clothes were torn and you curiously though if he felt cold with such a cold weather and in his left hand, he was holding a small white cup that had a few coins inside. One of the white-dressed men had placed his hand on his neck and he turned to look at his friend and nodded negatively._

_The moment he did that, your father inhaled a sharp breath and immediately covered your eyes with his hand, quickening his pace and passing among the crowd._

_‘Daddy, what was that man doing?’ you immediately question, your innocent mind filled with curiosity._

_‘It was nothing my love; don’t give too much thought on it.’ He answered you quickly._

_‘But why was he on the floor? Why wasn’t he moving?’_

_When your father pulled his hand from your eyes, you had already turned into a corner, losing the strange incident behind. He left you once again down and frantically searched his pockets, with you looking at him steadily._

_‘He was just sleeping ____.’ He said quickly ‘People do that after a long time; they fall into a deep sleep which is hard to wake up from.’_

_He pulled his hand from his pocket, drawing out his white handkerchief, just in time to cover his mouth as he started coughing hard. You just stood there, watching him cough and cough hard, waiting patiently for the time when he would stop; daddy started coughing a year ago and as time passed, he seemed to be coughing more and more and many more times than in the past. The best trick though, was that now, his white handkerchiefs turned a bit red every time he stopped and in a few cases, they had turned completely red. He leaned into the wall next to you for support, desperately trying to inhale and looking at you with tears from the cough and worry laced across his face. A doctor that had came into your house had told him to take a few pills that would help him stop coughing, but daddy said that he didn’t need those kind of things and you always needed a new pair of shoes or a new dress, since you only had one pair each time._

_When he finally stopped, he inhaled deeply and wiped a bit of red from the corner of his mouth._

_‘Daddy?’ you say._

_‘Yes darling?’ he murmured breathlessly._

_‘Are you going to fall asleep as well?’_

_He didn’t respond to you immediately. Instead, he walked up to you, shoving the handkerchief back in his pocket and kneeling down, he gave you a weary smile as he patted your head ‘No, of course I won’t ______. I’ll never fall asleep.’_

_But daddy lied to you._

_Just as Christmas passed that year, his cough got so bad that he had to stay in bed all of the time, completely unable to come pick you up from kindergarten or even talk to you. Instead, every time you came back, you rushed into his bedroom and spend the day with him, talking and singing to him with the man able to do nothing more but smile to you. But one cold day of February, daddy fell asleep and never woke up. No matter how much you tried to convince your mama that he was just sleeping, the only thing she did was to punish you and hit you hard across the face. She did that many times in the past as well, mostly when she was drinking that weird caramel-looking liquid, but now, she did that more often. And daddy was not waking up this time to stop her._

_So, before you even knew it, you found yourself at a strange place filled with white marble stones and everyone –including you- was dressed in black. Mama was holding your hand inside her own as all of you gathered around a strange wooden bed where your daddy lied, sleeping peacefully with his hands crossed over his tummy. Jack and his parents were there as well and your friend was looking at you with his big blue eyes nailed on your (e/c) own, that were filled with tears; why did no one believed you when you told them that daddy was sleeping?! As they started to lower your daddy on the ground though, you began to panic._

_‘Mama, why are they burying daddy?!’ you pulled her hand, trying to turn her attention to you ‘He is just sleeping mama, you’ll see, he’ll wake up again!’_

_‘Sh*t up you brat.’ She hissed at you in response, making more tears run down your cheeks. They were making a mistake! Daddy would be fine!_

_‘But mommy!’_

_‘I said SH*T UP!’_

_Once again, her hand fell hard on your cheek, making your head turn to the side and pain to shot up from it. Your petite hands flew to the said point to cover it, trying to prevent the pain, as violent sobs reverberated from deep within you, making your small body shake. Everyone just ignored your mother’s actions and started to leave as the wooden bed went even lower, but instead of following them, your feet took a step forward and then another and before you knew it, you ran towards the edge of the hole, falling on your knees and crying desperately._

_‘DADDY! DADDY WAKE UP!’ it was difficult to breathe from all the crying, but you just couldn’t stop yourself. Daddy had told you that it’s hard to wake up but they do, so why hadn’t he woken up even after four days?! Why did you lie daddy? Didn’t he love you anymore?! Why he was leaving you with mommy when he knew that she didn’t love you?! ‘Daddy…please wake up!!!’ you pleaded desperately._

_Out of nowhere, two small hands wrapped around you and turning, you saw none other than Jack hugging you with all the power his small body could provide him with, tears rolling down his own face as well._

_‘Don’t worry ______. Everything’s going to be okay.’ He whispered ‘I’m going to take care of you.’_

**~ * ~**

  
The mechanical beat that was coming from somewhere beside you was enough to stir you up from sleep and make your tired eyes flicker and open, annoyed by the steady sound that was indeed stable, yet at the same time strange. The moment your (e/c) orbs opened, you were greeted by nothing more than pure light; everything around you was flooded with an unstained white color, so pure and untouched, that reminded you of the color that the clouds pick up on a nice summer day. It was mesmerizing to look at it and you could feel your mind relaxing tremendously, joining the relaxation that your body had already, as you were lying against a very comfortable surface, with a sweet warmth that had enveloped your body cozily, making you feel at peace and like home; what wouldn’t you give up to just stay in this calmness forever, away from any problem or pain that your reality was generous on giving you. Then, a faint thought passed your mind…

Are you dead?

Is that what death is like? Floating around inside the pure light of the souls that are floating around with you, just waiting for the time that you will be plunged back into the darkness of living once again? Was that what death is? You had heard many stories about people dying and believing that what awaited them was only the darkness of the unknown and death, but what if death isn’t floating around in pure darkness? What if death is nothing more that light? Just like when light refracts and creates all the rest of the colors, what if death is nothing more than the color white and living life is picking up one single color every time, returning back to white when you die? Maybe that’s why many cultures dress in pure white when somebody dies and not in black… But if you are dead, then what is this disturbing mechanical beat?

No, you can’t be dead… They say that death is peaceful, but this sound that resonates from beside you is annoying to the bone. You blink once again and exhale; see? Even your breath is coming out shaky and loud, so it’s impossible for you to be dead; your body does feel heavy though and you are having difficulty moving even a little bit and Jesus Christ superstar, are you thirsty! Before you have the chance to look around you though, a navy blue mask penetrates your field of vision, looking at you without uttering a single word and with the black tears cascading down the blue surface; of course! Of course he would he right here. Why didn’t he let you die? Your memories are a bit blurry about what happened before you passed out.

‘Are you finally awake?’ you hear his voice comment, rather calmly if you had to describe it in a way.

The only thing you can do is nod ever-so-faintly.

‘Can you speak? Do you know what happened to you?’ he continues with the same tone.

You nod again ‘W….wa-ter…..ple..a…se..’

From the way that your voice was hurting your throat, it was evident that you hadn’t spoken in quite a while. This time, your heart attack was more troubling than before; you were indeed surprised to be alive in the first place and frankly, you knew not how he kept you alive in the first place. EJ disappears from your field of vision for a bit and when he comes back carrying a small glass of water, he presses a button beside you and your torso is starting to be raised lightly, bringing you head forward, just like hospital beds did. You were still inside his lab and everything around you betrayed nothing of the heavy beating that he gave you, since all was spotlessly clean; your body was covered by a new pair of pants that were lose and enabled you more comfort and your torn blouse was changed by a normal t-shirt, while you were covered by a thick blanket and the only thing that revealed that he had hurt you, was your broken left hand, which was carefully tucked inside a narthex. Once your torso was high enough, EJ removed the oxygen mask that was around your mouth and helped you drink up.

The cool liquid flew down your throat, offering you pure bliss as it satisfied your thirst, soothing the rough surfaces of your throat, easing the stinging pain that was piercing you. It was exactly what you needed right now and if you could, you were sure that you could pretty much drink up a whole lake in one go. But the glass emptied sooner than you’d like and you leaned your head back once again, sighing heavily and trying to ease your breathing. Various tubes were connected with your hands and torso and you were amazed to find out that the beeping sound was coming out of the heart monitor. This guy has a full operating room built up huh? Well, it didn’t surprise you anymore.

EJ pulled a chair with wheels right beside you and sat down calmly, his empty stare turning to look at you as he waited for any question or word at all. And you would grant his wish immediately.

‘How long have I been out?’ you cough up, your voice audible only because he had very strong hearing senses.

‘A week. Your heart stopped back then, but I managed to make it start again.’ He simply responds.

You nod ‘I guess it was tougher this time…’

‘Why didn’t you tell me that you suffer from sudden cardiac arrests?’ his voice was seemingly even, but you still noticed the faint traces of accuse.

‘Would you tell your enemy your biggest weakness? For all I knew you could scare me to death, because it is possible to do that you know.’ you shrug, nailing your tired gaze on his blue mask ‘Why didn’t you let me die? All your problems would have been solved.’

He remains silent for a little while, but eventually, you see his shoulders loosen up and you can swear that you heard him sigh ‘Because you are my experiment and I am not done testing you. You do belong to me now, so I’ll get to decide when you are going to die or not. Certainly, not before I tell you to or kill you myself.’

In his words, you scoff and roll your eyes ‘Once again, so reassuring that you won’t just snap my neck one of these days.’

‘If you behave yourself, you won’t have that fate thrust upon you. But do not test me.’

‘Yeah, I have the evidence to prove that.’ you say, raising your broken hand and then returning it to its place. It sure hurt like hell moving it around, even after a whole week. But d!mn had he done a neat job with tying it up with the narthex.

‘As you probably saw, I took care of the damage I inflicted you as a punishment, as well as the rest of them. I will use force to punish you, but for now, your death will give me no benefits.’ He admits, folding his hands over his sturdy chest.

‘Gee, good to know that.’ you downright mock him but your (e/c) orbs travel down the rest of your pained body and for the first time today, your brain registers the information that you are no longer wearing your torn pajamas, but instead, a clean and cozy pair of clothes ‘Did you…did you change my clothes?’ your question comes out before you really had the chance to control yourself and you eye him suspiciously. He didn’t try anything else along with changing your clothes right? You didn’t feel anything, so you don’t think so….

‘I noticed that your old clothes were not providing you with any function whatsoever after our argument, so to keep you from freezing to death, I decided it was best to replace them. Nothing more I assure you.’ his mask had leaned down and he was fiddling his thumbs mindlessly, immediately giving you the answer; he didn’t touch you. Hell, he was even a tinnie tinny bit uncomfortable, you could tell. Being around Jack all your life had given you the ability to know.

‘Okay then. I just hope that they aren’t from any of your victims.’

He looked up to you and immediately nodded ‘No, they are from one of the residences inside this house. I borrowed them for a while.’

Suddenly, you decided that you didn’t want to know more details about it. Ignorance is a bliss right? And your mind did fancy the thought that he might not have asked politely to borrow them, something that made the chances of you dying a lot higher if the said resident discovered them with you. In the mere thought that there were plenty of other people like EJ inside this house and not just his one friend that knocked on the door, made you something along the lines of worried and literally ready to let your bladder loose from the terror, if you had to put it nicely in lines. How is it possible for a house with people like EJ, murderers as your brain popped the word right in front of your eyes, exist? Hadn’t they drawn unwanted attention? No one had ever stumbled upon them? Well, if they had indeed stumbled, you were quite sure that they would not have lived to tell the tale, yet the mere thought of a house filled with killers existed made your stomach sick. What wonders can the night hide huh… Still, EJ appeared to be relaxed and when he stood up, your eyes followed him obediently as he walked up to one of the cabinets and pulling out a drawer, started rummaging through it, his tall figure throwing his shadow on the white wood of the furniture.

‘I will be going out tonight. I thought to let you know, in case you wanted to do anything foolish.’ He informs you, pulling out a scalpel and promptly shoving it inside his pocket.

‘Make sure to be back before midnight Cinderella.’

His shoulders sagged forward ‘I see that your sense of idiotic humor hasn’t left you.’

You shrugged your own shoulders ‘It’s the only thing I have left in here.’

‘Then spare me the torture of listening to it.’ He commented and grabbing a needle, he started filling it with some liquid ‘There is a need to go out, my supplies are running low and taking care of you for the past week has done nothing but reduce them even more. I will be locking the door so there is no chance for you to run away. Also, to make sure about that, since you never seize to try, I have handcuffed your right hand to the chair.’ He said pointing at your hand and in response, your eyes widened as you immediately raised your hand, only to see the shiny pair of handcuffs connecting you with the medical chair.

Yet, you were not surprised in the least ‘But what if someone decided to come in?’

‘There is absolutely no chance of anyone coming in if I am not here.’ He responded ‘And in the rare case that they do, I am the only one with a key to the lab, so you will be safe until I return in the morning. I would advise you to keep quiet though.’ He walked back at you, once again pulling the small medical table and resting the needle on it, he made sure that it was within your reach, by pulling it closer to you.

‘It’s not like I would be asking any of them for help.’ you commented bitterly.

‘That is clever of you. Now’ he said and pointed at the needle ‘This is a mild anesthetic to help you sleep through the night. It is in the correct amount to help you sleep and not kill you, so that you wouldn’t try anything. Just make sure it doesn’t have any bubbles of air, it would give you a far more painful death than I would. Take it only when it’s late enough.’ He advised, pointing at a clock on the wall that was pointing ten o’ clock ‘You do know how to inject yourself right?’

You nod.

‘Good. I will see you in the morning. Do not do anything you might regret.’ He warned you darkly and after a minute or so, he leaves your side and walks up to the door, scanning the whole place up before opening it, in case something was amiss.

‘Just let the lights on.’ You say before he leaves ‘Please.’

In response, he walks out and closes the door without a word, leaving the lights open.

The distinctive sound of the key turning in the lock was all you needed to let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding in the first place. His heavy boots sounded in the total silence of the lab as they distanced themselves from the door, signaling that the killer was going around about his usual routine, before he went out to kill; you weren’t a fool, you knew what business he had to attend to, but keeping the souls that would be lost tonight away from the conscience of your brain, you were happy that you were allowed some time alone at last and more importantly, inside the splendid light. Because what greater gift there is but the gift of light?

Without realizing it, you found yourself smiling a little bit, gazing upwards to the buzzing lights that spread above you, filling the whole place up with their strong, pure white light. It was an amazing night indeed.

You were once again alive; you didn’t quite know how EJ had managed to pull things off on his own, but it was surer than the beating heart inside of you, that he had succeeded in keeping you alive. And it was truly a wonder. Once your eyes began to close last time, you knew that you were a goner, ready to go find Jack and your dad in the everlasting silver forests of paradise; yet, the man that had came out of the darkest abyss managed to hold you down to earth. If that was a good or a bad thing, if keeping you here was indeed a miracle or a curse that kept you from the sweet release of death, you knew not and frankly, right now you didn’t have the chance or the will to think things through. You were just grateful that you were wearing warm clothes, you were lying against a very comfortable surface and the killer would be far away tonight, completely unable to terrorize you, at least for now. And more importantly, your broken hand was not aching at all.

So, getting comfortable on your chair and paying no attention to the handcuff, you allowed yourself to relax and try to drift off to sleep. EJ was still coming and going on the room right next to the lab, until at one point, around eleven, you heard the front door open and close, signaling that the killer was out of the room at last. And you would be able to sleep. You didn’t even need to take the anesthetic he had left beside you and before you even knew it; you were already landing inside a dream. And how peaceful you were, running like a little child among the vast fields that were filled with anemones, the luxuriously blue flowers seemingly dancing all around you on the strong wind and the clear skies that allowed the warm sun to reach down and illuminate the whole place up, warming your skin so much, that you were sure that you could feel it in reality as well… such warmth, such…..freedom.

But that strangely did not last long.

Because as you turned around, an uneasy feeling filled your mind; there was something that was pinching you on your thigh. Hmmmm. Very weird; it can’t be EJ, since it mustn’t be dawn already and that metallic thing –it must be a metallic piece- only pinched you when you were moving. You moved again, trying to push away the feeling, yet more pinching welcomed you.

Unwillingly, you open your eyes.

The lab lights were still there, still throwing their lights over the lab and thankfully for you, you were still alone. You notice that you had leaned on your sides, having pulled the blanket over your head in order to protect your eyes from the light as you slept, so turning once again straight forward; you brush sleep off your face and mind as you carefully tuck your broken hand inside your pocket, indeed grabbing something metallic in the inner side of the fabric. Your pained fingers wrap around it ever-so-faintly and you take it out, holding it against the light so you can see what it was; a bobby pin. It was nothing more than a metallic bobby pin that must have been forgotten inside the pocket. Huh. Well, let’s get back to sleep then! You turn to your sides once again, clothes and fabrics rustling against each other, pulling the warm blanket over your shoulders and minding not to get the handcuff on your right hand tangled anywhere as you make yourself comfortable once again. There, you are as good as new. Let’s forget the bobby pin and go back to sleep.

You close your eyes and exhale deeply. Stupid bobby pin.

Huh… a forgotten bobby pin…

A bobby pin…..

Wait.

Waaaaaaaait…

IT’S A BOBBY PIN!!!

Your eyes shot open in a flash and what was left of the sleepiness is fast to be wiped away completely from your mind as you eject yourself upright, throwing the blanket to the side and bringing that little piece of cosmetic metal in front of your astonished eyes. It was a bobby pin! Holy sh!t ! And no, no matter how much your brain still struggled to find out why were you so happy about that simple piece that seemed insignificant, your eyes had already averted themselves to your handcuff. But to be precise, they had nailed themselves on the lock of your handcuffs. Could you… could you do it? No, no, of course you can’t do it, for the love of God you had only watched a video in YouTube about how to do those things, that didn’t mean you could do it!..... But what if you could? You didn’t have anything else to lose, so why not try? The worst that could happen was for the pin to break and you failing altogether, but if you did manage it…..!

Unwillingly, your breathing hitched as the thoughts passed like lightning from your mind and your fragile heart started beating fast, a beat that send the cardiographer that was right behind you to hit sky limits. Yet, these kinds of reactions would do you no good. Closing your eyes, you tried despite all the voices that were screaming bloody murder inside your mind to calm down and think. There was no sound coming from EJ’s room or from any other part of the space whatsoever; the killer must still be out. One glance at the clock was enough to reassure you that it would take him a while to come back; it was only two in the morning. You could do this sh!t.

But you should start from the beginning.

Flexing the fingers of your left hand, you are clearly amazed to realize that you can flex them- you can’t apply even the slightest pressure though. It’s okay, you’ll pick the lock of the handcuff that attaches you to the chair. Carefully, you use your teeth and your good hand to pull the pin apart until it broke; then, you proceeded to bend one half in two and crook the edge of the second one a little bit, just enough to be able to use it as a lever. Perfect! As if you were about to cut open a living person, you place the parts of the bobby pin on the lock and start trying to pick it. Amazingly enough, the instructions of the man in the video were echoing inside your mind, yet it was taking so long and your concentration was so much that even if EJ walked inside that door, you wouldn’t be able to hear him at all. Sweat was dripping down from your forehead after a while and your broken hand was giving you one hell of a time but eventually, you head a very distinctive ‘click’ and you barely stopped yourself from screaming out loud, as the handcuff opened wide, finally releasing you.

Happiness. Pure happiness and bliss washed over you like a huge tidal wave, but your brain managed to keep your head on the ground, knowing that this whole ordeal was far from over. Throwing your feet to the side and stepping on them, you took a few careful steps just to try out how they were holding on; a bit shaky, either from the happiness or the fatigue, but good to go. So, without a second thought, you threw yourself against the lock of the door, kneeling yourself down on the cold floor and getting down on business. And this one was the trickiest of locks. Three times the pin of the lock had fallen and you had to start all over again and at one point, you found yourself begging every angel and cursing every demon, until on your fourth try, you managed to open it; your hands flew to the doorknob and turning it, you gasped in complete bliss as the door creaked open.

Immediately, you were back at your feet, opening the door completely and looking out to the other room; it was indeed completely empty and exactly as you had seen it a week before. This time around though, the piercing darkness had eaten away everything outside the single window, filling the whole dark forest outside with a feeling of dread and pure insanity; you would deal with those feelings later. Keeping the door open, your fast pace lead you once again back to the lab, your hands quick to open every cabinet that there was, looking frantically for a little flask of a certain liquid that you knew it would be needed in order for your body to function tonight. It was a simple trick that a nurse had once told you when you had your third heart attack: if you wanted to get back on your feet immediately, all you needed was a bit of adrenaline serum. Not too much, not too little, just the correct amount to help you keep going and not lead you to another heart attack. So tonight, if you indeed managed to escape, you would need the serum in order to keep your pained body under your control.

A victorious scream left your lips the moment the fingers of your good hand wrapped around the transparent phial and you immediately pulled it out of the cabinet.

‘Come on. Come on!’ you whispered to yourself as you emptied the needle with the anesthetic and filling it with the adrenaline serum, you tried to hold your broken hand still so that you could inject yourself. You were shaking; even without the adrenaline, your whole body was shaking in anticipation and fear. It was your only real chance to get the hell out of here and you would take it no matter what. So tightening your teeth so much they hurt, you practically stabbed and injected yourself with the serum. That’s it! Now for the rest of the plan.

You needed a way out.

There was no chance to unlock the front door in order to venture outside through the rest of the house and you didn’t need your conscience screaming that it was an extremely bad idea inside the empty voids of your mind to realize that, as you made your way to the bedroom; instead, there was one other single way to get out. Your last ray of hope. Through the window. Walking over to it, the moment that you touched the cold glass with your delicate fingers, you realized that the serum had begun working; your heart pounded hard inside your chest and your mind started going with a hundred miles per second, forming the thoughts far quicker than you could register. Your fingers flew to the locks of the window and turning them, you opened it wide, sticking your head outside and investigating the surroundings.

You were in the third floor of what appeared to be an old but majestic mansion. The window was looking on the back side of the property and above it was another floor; all were made out of the same dark rotten wood and the smell of pine trees and mold was enough for you to realize that it was rotting away more and more with each passing second. No one could tell since when was this mansion built but it was as sure as hell itself that it was decaying away. The luxurious forest spread all the way until the end of where the eye could see, with the dark, tall trees illuminated hauntingly by the silver moonlight that had just peeked behind the ominous clouds which were quick to cover the silver orb once again, sinking the whole place into the hellish darkness. The wind that coursed through the forest was strong and devilish and every once in a while, the dark sky was illuminated by a loud lightning and the threatening echo of the distant thunder filled the eerie silence; there was a storm coming and even worse was the fact that the whole ground was covered by a thick white sheet. You were paralyzed in your feet. That was snow. That was definitely snow. Just how long have you been in here?! How long…..

No! Now is not the time to wonder such things.

Let’s take things slowly ______.

There is no other window beneath this one. Check. There was also no drain near the window. Check. The only way that you could make your way downwards without free falling was to go about this the old fashioned way: with sheets. And you needed lots of them. Turning on your heel, you gazed around the small room. There were two blankets spread on the bed and you were sure that there must be sheets under them, plus, you have another blanket inside the lab. And luck was really on your side tonight, since you noticed something that you failed to see the first time you were in this room; there was a closet on the far left side, right beside the door. It was bound to have both sheets and warm clothes; it would be madness to escape into the stormy night with the little pieces of clothing that you were wearing now, so, excuse you EJ, but you would be needing part of his clothes. Luckily, you would be far away when he would find out that they were missing and be mad about it.

With your mind on the clock that was ticking away your precious time and the fact that you should be as quiet as the dead, you threw yourself into the matters at hand. First, you stripped off the bed off its sheets and blankets, before rummaging through the closet, where you were lucky to find many more of them. Using your good hand and your feet, you managed with extreme difficulty nonetheless to tie them all up together with big knots, praying that all of them would be enough to reach the ground under and that they would withstand your weight. As you tied one edge to the huge bed, you caught yourself murmuring that whatever happens tonight would be for the best; if the knots didn’t manage to stay together, you would probably fall to a painful death and if you gave it all up and stayed here, death would come sooner or later. Whatever happens, this is your only, faint chance to get the hell out of here and you would stretch your luck to her limits.

When you were sure everything was safely tied together, you scooped them all up in your hands and walking to the window, threw them out of it; surprise penetrated you and your eyes became two large saucing pans when they did in fact managed to reach the ground under. All was set. The room that you had left behind surely did share resemblance to a bombarded place, making you have to form a bee line in order to get back to the closet and pick up one of EJ’s hoodies. Passing the hands on the black sleeves, you put the hoodie on; it was like a sack of potatoes for your figure when it came to the matter of size but you were surprised to discover that, instead of blood and death, the fabric smelled of medicine and chocolate. A sweet fragrance and a little bit nostalgic as well. Of what, you didn’t know. Pushing the thoughts aside, you snatch one of his jeans, as well as a pair of shoes; all were nowhere even near your actual size, but adjusting them the best you could, you re-discovered both your legs and hands. You pulled the hoodie on, hiding away your disheveled (h/c) locks and once again headed for the window.

‘Oh boy.’ You exhaled, desperately trying not to think at all right now ‘Here we go _____. You can do this! Positive thoughts!’ you chanted to yourself.

There was no lying about it: it wasn’t too far from the ground, but it was just enough to give you more broken parts and maybe an internal bleeding that would give you a slow death. It was also true that you would have trouble going down, since your left hand was absolutely out of the question of helping you. But it was your only chance. The only chance to get away from this nightmare and escape; if you were lucky enough, you would leave all this behind and never speak about it again for as many days as you have left in this world. It was the most critical decision you have to get. So, pulling together all your determination, you climb the windowsill and inhale deeply. This was it.

Wrapping your right hand tightly onto the sheets, you use the grip as a tight holding to hang the rest of your body to the void. The sudden loss of a steady landing under your feet was expected, but it didn’t stop you from inhaling sharply; you didn’t even dare make a single squeak. But your hold into the sheets lasted for now. With the adrenaline and the fear a dangerous mix to be pumping though your veins and your fragile little heart, your mind clears once again and you see yourself through your eyes as if you were just an observer; your left foot finds its steady way onto the wooden wall, followed shortly by your right one. Your left hand grabs the sheets weakly, the pain of even that small of a movement making tears roll down your eyes, but you were finally doing it. Gritting your teeth with all your might, you focus on the task at hand.

One step.

Two steps.

Slide the hand.

One step.

Two steps.

Slide it again.

You were doing it. You were absolutely and utterly doing it! You were descending that wall, each step taking you one inch closer to utter freedom; oh, how you longed to feel the cold air brush against your skin once again and the coldness of the night was enveloping you as the loud thunders concealed your pained screams that were produced by your broken arm. It made you feel….alive. That was what utter freedom felt like. A few more steps and you would be out of this hellhole, out of this nightmare that you had accepted as your reality from now on. No more painful procedures, no more psychological war, no more threats about your life. No. You would be utterly free. And you were doing it. You were chasing your freedom and for the very first time in so long it was so close, you could taste it in the freezing cold air, a feeling that made a chuckle of relief erupt from your pained chest and nothing more that straight up relief was washing over you, making tears of joy run down your cheeks and meet with the tears of pain.

When you touched the ground, you kneeled down and almost kissed the sweet soil and snow under your feet, crying out of pure bliss. You remained there for a bit, body shaking and feet unable to withstand your weight, taking in your luxurious and harsh surroundings and trying to calm your racing heart down.

Then, you looked all around you, in case someone has spotted you and when you saw no one, you focused straight ahead towards the forest. There was one single thing left to do.

Run.


	15. Chapter 15 Frozen Forest

Endless.  
  
The forest that was spreading all around you, reaching as far as the eye could see and towering well above you, was endless.  
  
Completely losing the track of time inside that maze of trees and snow, you were unable to discern if you were walking for an hour, a day, or even a few minutes. The moment your feet stopped shaking and managed to raise you up from the ground, giving the ready to go signal to your brain, in the blink of eye you were running among the trees with all the power your fragile body and heart could provide you with and paying no attention whatsoever to your surroundings, the thoughts of getting away from this hellish place blurring your mind and vision, fueled by your sheer terror and desperation. Who knew how much time you had left until EJ came back? Who knew that maybe another one of the mansion’s residences wouldn’t find you and strike you dead? The only thing you knew was that you had to get out of there and right in front of you spread your only chance to do that. The wide hauntingly dark forest.  
  
There was no time to lose.  
  
You ran and ran, your feet sinking lightly inside the freshly fallen snow and despite that, never failing to catapult you forward with power, making you venture into the darkness completely concealed by any prying eyes that might have been lurking around, mostly because the storm that was waging on above your head was depriving the whole nature from any form of sound and light. The only thing that could be heard inside the mayhem of the thunders and lightnings, was the cracking sound of some faraway tree that was hit by the elements and was torn in half, proceeding to burn down to the ground. As if nature was really on your side today, no one would ever have been able to hear your heavy breaths nor your small screams of anger mixed with desperation when small shots of pain would resonate from your heart every now and then. No, you knew that it would do you no good to run like that and the adrenaline serum would only enhance the risks of having another heart attack, something that you were unable to afford right now; you were not as far as you wanted due to recovering from the first heart attack, but you also weren’t because the pain was slowing you down. If you hadn’t taken the drug before you left though, you would be dead a long time ago tonight and you would have been left outside on the cold night air to be eaten up by either the animals or the monsters that lurked inside the forest.  
  
But after a while, you unwillingly reduced your running to just fast walking; it was humanely impossible to run anymore and the only thing you had left was walking. The mansion could no longer be seen in the distance, but judging from the capabilities that EJ had, it wouldn’t strike you as strange if you were still inside the vicinity of his abilities. You were sure that you would be unable to outrun him or manage to defend yourself and boy, oh boy, he would surely be pissed when he notices that you are gone. So further into the woods it was for you. Crippling your way among the trees, trying to listen out for any sudden and unpleasant surprises that the forest might be hiding from you and trying to discern the different sounds among the destruction and deafening mayhem that was pounding all around, you kept in mind that as you made your way out of that window, you had managed to get a small glimpse of mountains in the far horizon straight ahead. If you managed to reach them, either by sheer luck or from a miracle, you knew you would be far away to consider yourself somewhat safe; if you were ever allowed to even utter this particular word right now. If you just reached them, you would be able to find out where the campus was, or even civilization.  
  
Alas, the forest around you was still thick and the way towards the said mountains was far harder that you had first expected. Your eyes surely took long enough to adjust to the complete lack of light and make out your surroundings and every time a lightning flashed above you, submerging the woods into haunting variations of the color white and blue, it left you once again unable to see; there were many times that you had almost collided with an unseen tree. The soft snow under your feet was obediently giving away a little bit under your steps, its perfect and pure whiteness stained by your feet that mixed mud and soil in it; the footsteps that you left behind were so faint that were almost invisible, something that acted to your advantage, since no one would be able to follow you.  
  
Yet, despite your continuous struggle and fear that your life would shortly come to an end if you were discovered, your brain couldn’t stop but keep a small fragment inside of it to admire the nightmarish beauty that was occupying the whole world around you.  
  
The pine trees were still holding on to their lavish foliage that was now covered by the snow, helping them completely submerge into the winter aura that they gave off and only add to the haunting vibes that they emanated, mostly because the light was not enough to grace them with nothing but deep shadows. And they were tall; they reached far beyond five times your height and completely covered the dark stormy sky above you, leaving no opening for you to get a glimpse of the clouds. In the faint light of the lightnings though, the blackness did not withdraw at all and all of the trees strangely seemed to be made out of the same coal black trunks, raising curiosity inside your mind, since you had never seen trees quite like that. You avoided touching them at all costs, fearing that they might come to life and snatch you, closing you inside of them and leading you to your death; like the dark forests that we hear about in fairytales or horror stories, no one really knew where the enemy might be hiding inside plain sight. And that feeling was not at all eased when you noticed that shimmering silver mist was creeping among them, gently sliding on the ground, wrapping around the trunks and illuminating the whole place in an eerie silver light that disabled you from finding your path even more; the smell of humidity and chilling cold mixed with mold soon reached your nose as the mist was quick to arise all around you.  
  
Now nothing was safe and you urged yourself to keep walking forward and not even once look back, in case the monsters had already spotted you and waited for their chance to get you; the small path that you were following was even harder to walk on now that you were failing you discern it and you were vaguely aware that even if EJ or his friends were about to find you, you would never even see them coming. Within the cold but nonetheless soft embrace of the mist, all sounds seemed to seize; even the storm above you was as if it had been silenced.  
  
Keeping the distressed thoughts away from your mind, you tried to focus on matters at hand and think clearly, marshalling your thoughts on how to get out of here and how far you had reached within the forest; if you indeed made it out of here, you were absolutely not going back on campus. It would clearly be EJ’s first stop when he would decide to come after you and staying there would be utter stupidity. Also, even if you were held captive for a month or two –as you calculated the days spend on that lab roughly- you were sure that the police would not believe you if you told them what happened, let alone with the complete lack of solid evidence; no, the police would only make things worse and surely drive EJ into finding you sooner or later. So, there was one single thing you could do: go back to your grandma’s place. No one knew where she lived; there was no record of her in the campus or anywhere inside your stuff that you had left behind so it would be best to go to her. Her house was far away from here, but with a little bit of luck and determination, you would be able to go back there and more importantly, you knew that EJ would never find you there. It wouldn’t be impossible, but it would be hard. And you knew, you where absolutely sure, that the blue-masked killer would chase after you the moment he notices that you are gone and your were not stupid to think that he would ever stop until he would have discovered you; I mean, you knew that he belonged to a clan of killers that lived inside the forest and even if no one would ever believe you, it was clear that he would be unable to take the risk. Oh well. Maybe if you change continent, he will be fooled and continue to search for you here.  
  
Tightening the black hoodie around your small frame, you mentally thank yourself for deciding to take his clothes before escaping; it was so penetratingly cold, that even under all the cotton layers, you could still feel the touch of winter grazing your skin and tangling your breath inside your lungs. You only regretted the fact that you didn’t take more of the clothes, but thinking about it, many layers could slow you down even more.  
  
A wild coughing fit bursts out of your lungs, making your hand fly to cover your mouth and your body to struggle staying up and walking, as you finally walk inside a wide clearing, only to stumble upon a small river dividing the tree line in two; the wide stream of water wasn’t steep or with a strong race of water but it surely looked deep, since the water was completely black and gently flowing down its path towards the sea, melting the snow that had fallen on the river bank. The two sides were connected only by a huge log that rested nonchalantly above the water, giving a narrow passageway to anyone that happened to be passing by; in this case, you.  
  
Swallowing hard, you pull yourself together and proudly make your way towards it, careful to see if the log would be able to withstand your weight and allow you to pass across or it would only lead you into falling inside the water. Testing it with your shaky foot, you see that it was indeed immovable; you smiled excitedly to yourself, almost feeling the sense of freedom filling the air around you as you stepped on the log and started walking. If you managed to get across, you would make sure to find a way to push the log into the water, cutting off the ways to be easily followed and stall EJ if he was indeed coming after you; by the time he would find a way to cross the river without touching the water, you would be even further away from the hellish man. But because the log was narrow, you had to re-focus your mind to your actions, raising your hands on the sides so that it would be easier to maintain your balance. One wrong step here and you would fall into the water before you even notice it and adding the low temperature of the forest, combined with your fragile heart, you would freeze to death within the hour. No! You would make it! You will finally be free! You would-  
  
Stepping on a certain spot of the log that was covered by mold and snow, your foot slips and you are already falling.  
  
‘NO!’ was the only thing you manage to scream, before your back connects hard with the cold surface.  
  
Darkness consumes you as the water encloses you within it and your eyes close tightly out of reflex and your body shuts down all of its movements, allowing the water to drag you down, towards the abyssal black bottom. For a split second, no thought passes from your mind, rendering you unable to understand what was going on; you were just floating inside a gentle liquid that cleared your mind and allowed your heart to pound in your ears, her beat strong yet uneven. And once this single moment passes, you scream. Bubbles of air come rushing out of your open mouth, shortening your breath even more and your back makes a perfect arc, since thousands of needles are piercing through your skin, trying to shred you to pieces; it was the feeling of the cold water around you that immediately set you into motion, purely due to the natural instinct of self-preservation.  
  
Your hands eject themselves forward, desperately trying to get a hold of something or just urge you towards the surface, the very same time that your feet touch the bottom of the river and leaning in the front, they proceed to eject you with a powerful push towards the surface. Your head is almost immediately out of the water and you open your mouth to inhale a sharp breath, filling your lungs with the oxygen they needed to survive; the bitter cold though makes it seem like you are inhaling needles once again and your chest tightens, making you fall into another coughing fit, as you gaze around desperately, trying to find a way out. The clothes you are wearing are only trying to drag you back into the bottom, weighting you more and more with each passing second, just as if they were made out of concrete; you had to get out of here now.  
  
This is bad, this is absolutely bad! You have done the biggest mistake someone can make when they are in under below temperatures. Hypothermia is now even greater foe than EJ himself and you feel your heart sink inside your chest with the realization, the moment you get out of the water and walk to the other side of the river bank; the cold wind wraps around you, making your clothes stick on you like a new layer of extra skin that you are unable to take off. Your whole body is shaking hard from the cold and you have to tighten your jaw to the extreme in order to keep your teeth from knocking together, as you zest your clothes from the extra water and look around you; there is an urgent need to find a shelter and create a fire, but as you scan the woods, you realize that the only place a cave would be available, is near the mountain. And by the looks of it, you had much more walking around until you could actually reach it.  
  
‘Damn it! I guess there is no choice.’ You mumble to yourself, as you take a brief look behind you to see if there is anyone there, before pulling yourself together and start walking again.  
  
‘I will make it. I have to make it!’ you repeat over and over again, frantically trying to urge yourself to continue the struggle and not give in yet; hell, your own two feet are shaking like leaves in the strong wind and you have unconsciously wrapped your hands protectively around your torso, in an attempt to warm yourself up a little bit.  
  
You were absolutely not going to die inside this forest. Not now, not today, you were not going to die; it’s just a bit of walking and you will manage to get back to civilization, manage to get away from the psychotic killer and end this nightmare once and for all. If someone was deserving happiness, that was definitely you, since Fate had never been kind to you or favored you except from when you were with Jack. Giving you a sh!tty life, a sh!tty family and now a sh!tty health, she owed you much more than what you owed her and you were absolutely not subduing to her tonight. You would live to see the sun rising, you will live to see another day and you will make it out of this nightmarish forest tonight! It doesn’t matter if your legs are shaking, if your once hot breath is now in the same temperature as the nature around you, all this were trivial. You’ve got this and you will make it out even if you’ll have to crawl your way through the snow.  
  
Walking and walking and walking, now time was completely lost around you. The storm that spread over your head and threatened to turn the night into day was still not releasing its maniacal furry upon the lands yet you knew that this was only a matter of time. Everything around you was so silent, so still and frozen, that the only thing barely moving around was your own figure with your shoulders slouched and having to focus all of your attention to your feet in order to move them forward, your state was nowhere even near getting better but something inside of you was urging you to move. The will to live was still strong inside your mind and your now calm heartbeat was accompanying you without the slightest bit of pain… or maybe, you just couldn’t feel it anymore. Yeah, it would be impossible for your heart not to ache right now…..but it still didn’t…..  
  
Suddenly, the whole forest was illuminated right in front of you. The darkness withdrew and the shadows retreated into the farthest corners, as the whole scenery changed and transformed under the strong silver light that flooded everything upon the grounds; gazing up, you saw the silver orb, the moon, shining brightly upon the firmament, protruding among the threatening clouds that carried destruction and snow within. And then the forest was not as frightening as before….no…. It was breathtaking and charming, coming straight out of a love poem that the most lovesick poet came up with; still, you just couldn’t stop shivering…. You just couldn’t find the strength to look up and smile. You were so tired, so low on energy that you were barely moving and your lungs were hyperventilating, trying to fight away the cold that had wrapped you inside its lethal embrace and continue walking all at the same time.  
  
Where was EJ? It must have been a couple of hours since you escaped and he must definitely be coming back to the mansion if not having discovered your escape already. Then why isn’t he coming? Did your footprints disappear under the strong wind? Was he unable to find the trail you had taken? Whatever it was, you were safe for now and the man was far away from you, all the way back to the other side of the forest. You had finally managed to get away from him, his crazy personality, his mercilessness and the constant fear about your life. You had made it out. He could have easily killed you though back there and you have to admit that he didn’t. He could have left you to starve on that cold pavement inside the total darkness but still, he didn’t. He was kind enough to…. What the hell are you saying? He wasn’t kind! He tortured you! He kept you away from your friends and locked up inside a cold lab to wait for the end inside the darkness! He was neither kind nor merciful! He was a monster! How could you possibly think of that?!  
  
Wait…  
  
Why are you walking towards a clearing? Didn’t you turn left back there? Huh? At least you breathed slowly now, but why did you get confused back there? Or was it disorientation? You were confused about EJ and disoriented about where you were going…. Yeah! That’s it. D!mn it, it’s hard to move around right now and even walking requires all of your strength. One foot in front of the other, the other foot in the front. One, two, three, four. Well, you guess it’s a good thing that you have finally stopped shivering like crazy… you reminded yourself those lunatics that have completely lost it… You were still cold though… and this hoodie seems like its plastered on your skin. Wait. Why did you raise your hands? Why are you taking the hoodie off? Isn’t this bad? Eh, who knows anymore, at least the feeling of the hoodie against you skin was no more.  
  
Well, you guess it’s time to get a little break, just enough to catch your breath. You were just a few feet away from the vast clearing and from there, you could easily see the mountain towering well above all other things, majestic and eloquently beautiful; the last ray of hope to get out of this place is right in front of you. You just have to stop a little bit and rest, because venturing around in the mountain will be tough and the sleepiness that is eating your mind away is no good when you need to be alert. So, walking over to a huge pine tree, you softly sit down in front of it and rest against the trunk, sighing heavily.  
  
You were too tired as it seemed; the moment you sat down your hands fell on the sides and you were unable to move them, not even a little bit and the same went for your feet as well. At least the hypothermia went away. It was a good call to take the hoodie off… Hmmm, you are also sleepy, barely able to keep your eyes open… It’s okay; you’ll just sleep for a bit and then continue…  
  
Before you knew it, your eyelids slipped closed…  
  


*

  
  
  
_‘Wake up _______. Wake up.’_  
  
Someone was speaking to you, but you barely even heard him as you floated away inside the unconsciousness of sleep. It was peaceful in there, without worries to pester your mind, or the penetrating cold to make you shiver. And for once, your heart was calm and beating evenly, like the times when she was still healthy and working so perfectly, like a true clock. So, whoever the man was, he must be mistaking you for a fool if he really thinks that he can wake you up.  
  
_‘Wake up my love, we have to go.’_ He repeated, this time a lot closer than before. Strangely enough, you were sure that you had heard this voice somewhere before; it brought back memories of a time when everything was perfect and from the sudden flood of feelings that overwhelmed you, sleep was shortly washed away.  
  
Eventually, your eyelids flickered and opened wearily.  
  
Right beside you, standing only a step away from your fragile and freezing body, was a man, roughly around his early thirties. The beautifully bright night sky was illuminating his figure, making the light blur around the edges of the man’s body, but nonetheless you were able to see him clearly as he was smiling down to you with a certain smile that you were longing to see for thirteen years now.  
  
 _‘Are you awake my love?’_ he asked again, kneeling down beside you.  
  
‘Hey daddy.’ You murmured with a smile ‘Long time no see.’  
  
It was your dad. It was really your dad. Gazing upon him, you realized inside your blurriness that he was exactly like you remembered him. With his constantly tired (e/c) eyes, his tall/short figure that was exceptionally lean/muscular for his age and that particular smile that always eased your worries away, chasing all the demons that used to be a burden to you, offering you a safe shelter to thrive and be the little innocent girl that you always were. And he was here; after thirteen whole years, he had fulfilled his promise and came back to you. He didn’t lie to you; he had woken up at last. Now everything was going to be alright.  
  
_‘What are you doing out here darling? Don’t you know that forests are dangerous?’_ he asked, worry lacing his clear eyes.  
  
You smiled even more ‘I was looking for a way out daddy, don’t worry. What are you doing here?’  
  
His face turned serious _‘I came to take you away my love.’_  
  
‘Really?’ you sighed ‘It surely took you long enough.’  
  
_‘I couldn’t come earlier.’_ He confessed.  
  
‘It’s okay daddy, I am ready now. Can I ask you a favor though?’  
  
‘ _Whatever you want princess.’_ He smiled.  
  
‘I want you to take me to where Jack is. Can you please do that? Take me to Jack?’ you pleaded.  
  
Instead of an answer, he stood up again, never failing to smile tenderly towards you, managing to wash away all of your fears once again. Then, he raised his hand towards you and beckoned you to take it.  
  
_‘I’ll take you to Jack _____. I promise.’_ He reassured you _‘Take my hand.’_  
  
But before you were really able to raise your own and rest it on your father’s open one, your eyes closed once again.  
  
  


**

  
  
The canopy of trees was passing right in front of your eyes, their abundant leaves reaching until the faraway skies that spread beyond the foliage, trying to cover the majestic skies completely and deny their view from all life that was standing under them, but to no avail. The sky was grandly lightened up by the full moon that shed its light to the canopy, making it look like the leaves were luminescent, fragments of stars that had fallen from grace and came to adorn Mother Nature herself. The distant suns and planets that were still gracing the endlessly dark firmament were either producing their light steadily, being the constant guidance for the people that needed them, or played around childishly by constantly flickering.  
  
All of them were nothing more than distant dreams, distant memories and destinies that were never to be fulfilled as they were to never be reached; infinite and unattainable, just like happiness, you thought dizzily.  
  
You were walking among the trees; no, you were being carried among the trees by two sturdy arms that followed a path that was invisible to you, leading you on, with you being unable to even move to see who it was. Your heart was pounding loudly inside your chest and you were no longer cold…..  
  
No….  
  
You were not cold….just glad…  
  
Glad that the smell of pepper and chocolate was once again blurring your senses.  
  


***

  
  
You were crying…  
  
Hot tears were cascading down your extremely pale skin and you were unable to do anything about it, as you clutched the black fabric of the man’s hoodie with everything you had, your tears staining it but nonetheless, paying no attention to trivial matters like that. Nothing mattered to you anymore; everything had frozen up inside of you and you were left unable to do anything but cry from all the sheer happiness that had overwhelmed your fragile heart.  
  
‘Jack……Jack…….’ you cried again and again as the man carried you down still.  
  
‘You are finally back, Jack……. I missed you so much……. So much….’ You allowed a sob to burst through your chest ‘I was so lonely Jack…..without you…..’  
  
He was back, he had finally returned and found you, you were sure about it. Even if your mind was blurry and you were barely able to keep yourself conscious, you wouldn’t mistake the smell of pepper and chocolate not even if you had lost your sense of smell…. And that aroma belonged only to Jack…. Your Jack…  
  
‘…I was so lost…without you…’  
  
  


****

  
  
  
EJ carried your unconscious body down the narrow forest path calmly and emotionlessly, paying absolutely no attention if you were comfortable inside his arms or not. The male killer was completely withdrawn inside his own thoughts, listening to your continuous blabbering as you tossed and turned restlessly inside his arms, suffering under your severe hypothermia and shivering like a heart that was torn off its chest and taking its final beats before death welcomes it. And it was the very first time that EJ was beyond his own self with anger.  
  
This night had started on good terms. Making sure that ______ was carefully tucked inside the blankets he provided and with her hand safely tied to the arm of the medical table; there was absolutely no chance for her to run away. He had been very careful with her in the past week that she was unconscious, mainly because he did not wish to lose his experiment just yet and when she finally woke up he made sure that she would be unable to even move from that chair. But then again, she didn’t seem eager to even try whatsoever. So, with a reassured deranged mind, he went about with his preparations for the upcoming hunt; his supplies were running dangerously low and the need to kill had started to slowly bubble up dangerously inside of him. Taking whatever he needed, he exited his room and ventured out into the night without paying the slightest attention to the thunders that where echoing above his head; his excellent senses told him that the storm wouldn’t strike until dawn, so he had plenty of time to hit town for his hunt and since the forest was completely silent, he managed to escape an ugly meeting with the Rake.  
  
The hunting had gone surprisingly smoothly and before he even knew it, his jars were filled with the various organs of his liking, rendering the stash complete and able to feed him for a week or two if he didn’t get any greedy with his food. He had also snatched some medicines like morphine and some others, since ______ seemed to be in constant need of them and he would like to keep spare ones just to be sure. Luckily, he didn’t run into trouble at all and by the time he entered the woods, he felt somewhat exhausted for the first time in quite a while. He just had to return to the mansion, check up on ______, put away his jars and he would finally be able to relax a bit.  
  
But all those dreams turned to utter stone when he finally reached the mansion’s premises and his empty stare fell on a cloth line that lead all the way up to his bedroom window; he had stopped dead on his tracks and the bag left his arms as reality settled in and he realized what was going on; _______ had escaped. In a matter of seconds, the always calm and collected killer had given in to his insanity, turning completely to the demon that was lurking inside his soul. He was angry; angry that you got away, angry that he believed that the precautions he took would stop you, only to find you literally mocking him in front of his face.  
  
One single sniff of the cold air was enough to pick your scent up and he found himself running at full speed inside the forest in a matter of seconds, following you solely by your scent that was somehow mixed with his own, rather than following your traces. You mustn’t have gone far; the forest was endless and labyrinth like and you deteriorated heart condition wouldn’t allow you to run as fast as you could have. The fleeting doe was always slipping away from his grasp but if he did find you this time, he would make sure that you would be unable to run from thereafter, that of course, if he didn’t kill you on the spot and went on with eating your organs.  
  
And he did find you.  
  
Barely a few meters away from the river, he found you leaning against a tree, your eyes closed and your skin utterly pale; your breathing was almost nonexistent and your pupils were dilated completely. He didn’t need to the wet clothes to realize that you were suffering from severe hypothermia and you were already dying. But just as he had warned you, you weren’t allowed to die if he didn’t tell you so. Taking off his dry hoodie, he passed it on you and then picked you up bridal style, taking the way back towards the mansion, checking every now and then with his senses to make sure that you weren’t dead, yet after a while, you started blabbering incoherently; it wasn’t until after a bit of time and once he was sure that you weren’t in the brink of death that you started talking clearly, calling out to your friend and crying against his chest.  
  
Alas, he had to admit that it was strange to see you cry. It was strange not to see the fire burning in your eyes and your façade completely thrown away, only to reveal a heart broken and vulnerable human that was calling out for her friend, completely submerged inside the sadness; it pacified his anger just a tiny bit, but that didn’t mean he dropped his plans for you.  
  
From the moment he was given one, he was eager to try out that medical saw.


	16. Chapter 16 Release Me To Heaven

What was happening all around you, you had absolutely no idea neither did you have the strength to focus and find out. Drifting in and out of sleep, your mind was only able to take in fragmentary images that seemed to flash right in front of your eyes, as if someone was playing a very old black and white movie. Images of the white lab, a dark figure and the sound of your own heartbeat were the only things that managed to reach down to your subconscious and penetrate the cold lake of numbness, all the way to where you were sleeping, not as peacefully as you would like. At first, you didn’t even want to focus on them; serenely waiting for the sweet release of death, you wanted nothing more but to reunite with all your loved ones, your father and Jack, who were reaped away from you before their time had come. The penetrating cold had enveloped you in its lethal embrace, a small gift that the walk in the woods left you with and you waited patiently for the time that the images would stop and you would fall into the darkness. The only colors that you were able to see down there, other than black and white, was the royal blue mask that you recognized to belong to EJ; huh, so the man had really managed to get a hold of you once again right? Doesn’t matter; you were already too far gone to really care about him.  
  
Yet, when the pain resonating from your body reached down to meet with your soul, you were petrified to realize that you were not dying yet again; why? Why can’t a single human being find the only thing that would release it from the torture and pain that every day life has to offer and have the chance to find peace at last in the afterlife? Some of us say that Death is the only God that comes when you call him, but when it came down to you, he only reached you far enough for you to raise your hands, longing more than anything else to embrace and allow him to take you with him, only for him to disappear into thin air, leaving behind more pain and suffering. Because right now, as you felt your conscience drift into awareness, you could feel every fiber of your body screaming with sheer pain penetrating every inch of it. You knew that this wasn’t pain that EJ had inflicted to you; what satisfaction would he gain to torture you when you were asleep? No, this pain came solely from the severe hypothermia that you had suffered out there in the woods. It made you want to scream, you wanted to rip your lungs open by screaming, in a desperate attempt to top the pain, but you knew that this was not possible since you were trapped inside your own body, unable to do even the slightest of movements, suffering hell and being unable to do anything about it. Because these were not the bright red flames of Hell itself; no, these were the far more terrifying blue flames of cold and suffering, that made your already broken heart shake and beat unevenly.  
  
Your heart.  
  
The small and fragile organ that from the moment you were born was destined to fail you; destined to break down inside your own arms, it was now giving a true battle of keeping you alive. Its beat was unstable and ready to give out at any given moment, yes, but despite all the inabilities it had, it was beating loudly, pumping the life-giving blood through your veins in a desperate attempt to restore you back to life. You could actually hear it beating down into the darkness and you couldn’t help the small smirk that graced your lips. Maybe it hadn’t given up just yet like you did. And that became more of a reality, as you felt yourself being ejected with a tremendous speed towards the surface. You close your eyes.  
  
And…  
  
When you open them, you find yourself in the all-too-familiar lab.  
  
Numerous machines were once again connected to you and this time, you were carefully wrapped inside two or three warm blankets that were trying to restore your vitality back. An oxygen mask was passed on your nose and mouth and you didn’t need to move at all to know that you were tied on the medical bed, this time with leather restrains. Your eyes fell on the dark figure that was looming around the room, going up and down, collecting various medical tools before EJ rested them on the medical tables that surrounded you; the man had literally pulled out an army of tools that surrounded you threatenly, but you were still far away to be scared by them.  
  
Before you had the chance to notice anything else, the man realized that you were looking at him, sensing your gaze in his back like it was some kind of enemy that looked upon him.  
  
‘So you are finally awake. Good.’  
  
There was pure madness and hostility dripping down from the edges of each word he spoke and once he turned and walked over at you, leaning above your face so that you could look at him better and vice versa, you opened your mouth to reply to him, but your voice was nowhere even near from coming out from your neck and not only that, but every time you tried to swallow, it felt like he had gave you pins and needles to swallow. His empty stare was locked at you and he noticed your desperate attempts to talk, that only made a small, maniacal chuckle leave his lips under the mask, barely even audible.  
  
‘There is no use trying to talk. I injected you with a special fluid that has scraped your vocal cords. If you try to talk, you will damage them even further, resulting in losing your ability to speak.’ He simply informed you, in the same tone that he would use if you talked about the weather.  
  
You should have been surprised by that action of his; if it was any other moment but now, you would have probably spat on his face or something, but right now, you didn’t really care at all. So, you closed your mouth once again and rested your head back.  
  
‘I have to give it to you though, you almost managed to escape. Almost. Did you really think that even if you did escape, I wouldn’t come after you ______?’  
  
He was talking more to himself than to you and from the whole posture and ominous aura that lingered above his head like a dark cloud, the only thing you could really do was watch him carefully. You couldn’t give him any response and even if you could, it wouldn’t benefit you at all.  
  
‘But I have to admit, you probably do have some mental inability to process things that I failed to diagnose right away. Otherwise, I can not explain in any way your idiotic and suicidal tendencies. But fear not, my patience has already run thin with you human.’ He just shrugged, moving the scalpel on his hand casually with the movements of his hands ‘Did it sound like a good idea though idiotic woman? Did you really think that I wouldn’t snap your neck the moment I found you? Because I was surely debating on it, rest your hollow mind assured.’  
  
The more he was talking –rather rare for him, but the anger was just pouring out like a tidal wave- he was walking around the room, gathering more and more medical tools, making sure that each and every one of them was cleaned and ready to be used. Your heart was beating loudly, reacting to all the ideas and possibilities of what he could do to you, but it was rather a reaction your body alone had; your mind was just numb and even if he was there or not, it was the exact same thing. You weren’t scared of him anymore, you saw him as your only chance. You just had to play your cards right this time. Only one chance would be given. Quietly and almost inaudibly, tears started running down the sides of your eyes, hot and holding on to all the desperation you had been experiencing all this time; sobs made your chest ache and the more desperation washed over you, the more you were crying, the machines above your head going crazy.  
  
‘But you know ______, no matter how much you angered me, I am not going to punish you physically.’ He said, walking over to you and leaning so close to your face, that you were sure you could hear his breath under his mask. One of his gloved hands found its way on the side of your face and he wiped away one of the tears that had fallen; he was silent and observed you without so much as a single reaction, but you were vaguely aware that he was grinning under his mask; you couldn’t see it, but you could hear it in the way the air left his lungs.  
  
‘Instead, would you like to know what I am going to do to you?’  
  
This time, he really seemed to be awaiting your response, so after some time, you shrugged your shoulders.  
  
It seemed to only lighten his mood up even more though.  
  
‘I am going to use all my medical skills on you. You should feel blessed with yourself because no other experiment of mine ever had the chance to fully appreciate my medical skills and you my precious _______, you are my one and only butterfly. You want to know why?’  
  
Okay, now, you had gone completely frozen under his steady gaze and you found yourself unable to even blink.  
  
‘Because butterflies are such magnificent creatures. Full of life and color they go around offering only beauty. But the tragedy of their lives is that no matter how beautiful they are, their lives fade away faster than any other creature. Some live for only a day, only for a single fragment of time inside eternity and then they die. Many years ago, people used to collect them and pin them up on frames. Kids usually cut their wings a bit so they are unable to fly. And this exactly what I am planning on doing on you _______. I will clip your wings so that you’ll be unable to run from me.’  
  
As he said that, he immediately retreated from your face but never left your side as he turned and snatched a small tool from the side table. Your eyes opened wide with surprise when you realize what it was; an electrical medical saw. What was he doing? What?  
  
He turned to you again ‘So, as you probably haven’t noticed by now, your legs are the only ones that are not covered by the blanket. I am going to use all my skills and clip your wings; I will punish you by cutting your legs. Not too much; just an inch under the knee. I can’t have you completely crippled, but this will make my request be imprinted on your foolish mind.’  
  
Now, you were crying with all your heart. Tears rolled down your face, making your vision blur completely, until the only thing you could see was none other than EJ; your breathing became more shallow and pained you to come out and violent sobs were resonating from deep within your body, making it unable for you to breathe and tested your restrains as you whole body shook under them. It wasn’t that you were trying to escape them; you knew right from the start that all the possible chances for escape that you had been given had run out and since you failed, you were left once again inside the nightmare, with whatever was left of your sanity slowly drifting away from your grasp. No, it wasn’t even the fact that EJ was about to cut off your legs and the fact that he meant it this time. you would allow him to do whatever he wanted; there was nothing more you could do to stop him, this deranged, cold-blooded killer that found satisfaction in both killing innocent people and torturing you mercilessly, both on a mental and on a physical way. The man was what he was, he was just responding to the madness that had long ago eaten away any reason inside his mind, the only thing that could save you right now.  
  
It wasn’t all this. It was the fact that you couldn’t go on anymore.  
  
Everything with your life was a torture. From the moment you were born, all the people you loved where taken away from you one way or another. Loneliness was the one and only attribute and feeling that outweighed everything else. Not love, not companionship, no nothing. You never received love from your family, your mother or your stepfather; you only received pain and abandonment. And as you realized just now, you just couldn’t go on like this anymore. You were tired. You couldn’t fight; you had fought so many battles that after all these scars and wounds that they gave you, you simply wanted to give up. The last blow that you received was Jack leaving this world before you and leaving all alone, broken and wounded to pick up all the pieces….So… You simply wanted to die. Yeah…. You had finally formed the final thought inside your mind. It was powerful and destructive; even thinking about it triggered all reactions inside your mind, flooding the vast spaces with only this thought, which burned like a cold fire inside the forests of your mind… you just wanted to die. You had no reasons left to live. You simply wanted peace again. And the blue masked man was the only one that could offer you that.  
  
Maybe that was it. Maybe this was the last gift you received from God himself: a way out. You would never find the strength to do it yourself, so this killer might have been sent to you for this particular reason. To help you end it all.  
  
The sound of the medical saw turning on interrupted your thoughts.  
  
Before you even had the chance to think about it, your mouth opened and you screamed ‘WAIT!’  
  
EJ’s head immediately turned towards you, as a reaction to the sudden sound, but you were in no position to speak right now; your neck was literally being ripped apart, making you want to tear off the straps on your hands to cover it in a desperate attempt to ease the pain, but you could never do such thing. Instead, you tried to focus on the man that was now looking at you penetratingly, his face hidden behind his emotionless mask.  
  
‘What did you say?’ he questioned you, seizing his actions.  
  
‘K……k…..k!’  
  
‘I can’t hear you.’  
  
‘K……kk…..K!’  
  
‘Still can’t.’  
  
‘Ki…….k……kill……..me….!’  
  
This was the first thing to take him by surprise. His shoulders relaxed and his head leaned back a little bit, in a posture that was absolutely still, as if he couldn’t believe his own ears ‘What did you just say?’  
  
‘….Kill me….please!...’ your back made a perfect arc despite the restrains, due to the pain.  
  
Footsteps were heard and his tall figure penetrated your vision the moment he stood next to your head, leaning his own to the side as he studied you ‘Why?’ his voice no longer held the anger it previously had; in a flash, it seemed to have gone away.  
  
‘B….because I…can’t do this…..anymore EJ.’ More tears ran down your eyes ‘I am so…tired of living….., you know?.... The only…t-thing I had keeping….me….alive….was Jack…I loved him so much….so much….and now that he is gone…..there is only so much pain….I am suffering and….I can’t take it any…more!.... I am already dying and…. you know it….I don’t have much time…left….So I beg of you….I am literally begging you….kill me…..release me……save me……Please…’  
  
You tried to clear your vision by blinking the tears away and giving in to your emotions after such a long time, you wanted to keep talking despite the pain.  
  
‘I am….sure…..that you had something….you loved….and you lost it…..I know that….you can feel pain too….because even if….you are killer….you are also a person…..And I want you…to help me…end it all…….Jack was the only thing that….was keeping me alive….through abuse….abandonment….fear….and then I lost him EJ….I lost the only one that I…could give my life for…..so please….help me go find him….! Life….without him…is the greatest torture I have lived….but I can’t do it…I can’t go on anymore….I am so lonely….I am so lonely it scares me!....Loneliness is the biggest curse of them all…’  
  
The man had gone completely quiet and didn’t even move a muscle, listening carefully to your words and keeping his dark stare glued on you. From the lack of any reaction, you knew that you had gotten through to him. But if you wanted him to kill you, you needed to hurry up, since your senses had begun to abandon you, from all the pain inflicted on your vocal cords.  
  
So despite the pain, you smiled. You offered a big, full-hearted smile to the killer that would hopefully end your life.  
  
‘…..Please spare me….EJ……I know that you….must be lonely too…living all alone…in here…..So spare me….and I will watch after you… from above…..I can promise you that….’ your smile widened even more ‘…Kill me EJ…’  
  
And then, your eyes finally closed.


	17. Chapter 17 Tu N'es Pas Seul

_‘Kill me EJ.’_  
  
The girl had been unconscious for quite some time now. Her fragile, little, mortal body was unable to sustain her conscious for too long and it was making her drift in and out of sleep, desperately attempting to restore her vitality back and fight the severe hypothermia from which she was suffering from, her body trying to absorb as much heat as possible. But it was purely out of her own stupidity that she was suffering in the first place; who told her it was a good idea to attempt an escape and run away in below zero temperatures? And it came as no surprise at all that she had fallen inside the pond, only increasing her chances of death; but no, no, no, EJ was not going to allow that. He would tell her when her time to die has come and he would be glad to kill her himself, something that after the little conversation the both of them had, appeared to be desired by the girl as well. She really wanted to die by his hand.  
  
That was peculiar…  
  
Never in his undead life, did EJ encounter a human that was actually ready to die and even begged for it. Yes, he had obtained a few living humans over the years in secret from the rest of the household, in whom he carried on his experiments to help him hunt down their kind more easily and despite the fact that many of them had lived long enough to have their will broken, not even one of them ever begged him for death. The vast majority had simply stopped fighting after a while, losing the will to live but never coming to a point of begging for death; this went for all humans in general –as he had realized- that they never let go of their will to live and the small chance that maybe, just maybe, luck will favor them and they might be able to escape at some point. Because just like what he had read in books, humans always have the will to survive even in the most devastating of situations. But not this girl; this girl puzzled him beyond anything else. Yes, he had seen the fire burning inside her eyes, a flame that was burning fiercely and only made him want to try whatever was possible to quench it. Yes, she had tried again and again to escape, even if she knew for herself that he would come after her and the consequences would be devastating for her. Yes, he had taken in all of her fear, savoring it as a fine tasted kidney or heart, when he told her that he would cut off her legs in order for her to be completely stopped from running away, but nothing, nothing ever did quench the fire out of her eyes like when she begged him to kill her.  
  
It was a strange moment for the eyeless killer as well.  
  
As her eyes filled with tears that were quick to cascade down her face, the same moment that sobs reverberated from the depths of her chest, was the time that what he couldn’t achieve by threatening or beating her happened; the fire went out inside her eyes. The flames that always seemed to burn, drowned themselves inside the tears, completely quenching and leaving behind an empty shell that could do nothing more than cry and beg for the sweet salvation of death. Was the fire just a distraction from what she seemed to be hiding inside her mind? Maybe it was, since, what else could explain the 180° turn she took, completely revealing herself to him by dropping all of her resistances. And the girl simply cried away. And EJ found himself unable to kill her for the second time since he took her in here. It wasn’t something in her tears or her desperate face; these were things that EJ found utterly disgusting in humans in general. No… it was her words…probably….maybe?.....he wasn’t sure about it himself.  
  
 _‘I know that you must be lonely too…living all alone in here.’_  
  
Loneliness.  
  
This was the single word that was strong enough to pretty much evaporate all the anger that was fueling him; not because of any other reason other than the curiosity over the fact that she chose that particular word to say, for reasons that he was unable to comprehend, no matter how much his analytical mind tried, leaving him to literally struggle to understand. And even if that wasn’t enough, she dared to utter it and then passed out, before he had the chance to question her, since the surprise that washed over the eyeless killer was an emotion that he hadn’t felt in quite a while and managed to puzzle him even more. And now he must wait to ask her! This was preposterous! But even if he was in desperate need for answers, his calm nature eventually won over; did it, or did it make him completely unable to react, trapping him inside his very own body to think things through over and over again?  
  
Thus, he did just that. He allowed himself to be so completely engulfed, that he froze on spot, with his hands hovering over the girl’s legs, with a scalpel and a needle on each hand. Why just a word from this girl had such an impact on him? And what was that loneliness she was talking about? He wasn’t lonely, he wasn’t lonely at all; being inside this household was a certain proof about that. When Slenderman had found him wondering around aimlessly inside the dark woods of Slenderman’s territory and with his mind completely devoured by the darkness, he offered him not only a certain place to stay, but also the knowledge that he wasn’t alone inside the darkness: that there were others just like him, who went after the human race just like he did. Suddenly, EJ had found a purpose, had found the will to live and a reason for his existence; he was brought inside the house of killers and had a certain amount of companionship. This did not mean he didn’t continue to be the bloodthirsty beast that his nature had bestowed him with, and being around other merciless beasts was the sure proof of that. So why did her words affected him so much? What was different with her? Why was he more like….himself, when he was around her? Why did the madness withdraw? Just who is this girl?  
  
Sighing, he threw the medical tools to the side; he couldn’t kill her. Not yet, not now, not until he had an answer for each of the questions inside his mind. It was purely frustrating being unable to kill her and if he was sure that when she would wake up, she would be able to provide him with answers, he would kill her afterwards, but he doubted that she would be the key to his answers. And not only that, but he found himself not wanting to kill her; he wanted to keep her around a little bit longer. Just enough to find out what was that strange feeling of relaxation when he was around her, no matter how much she infuriated him. She undoubtedly had the rare gift of both relaxing and angering him, something that no other had ever managed. But he couldn’t dispose of her for now.  
  
He clenched his jaw firmly.  
  
Keeping her it is then. Even if she wants to or not.  
  
Grabbing a clean pair of bandages from somewhere beside him, he turned to her legs and started wrapping them fast and with exceptional care; he had found her right when she was about to die from the cold and managed to revive her up to some point, yet her legs were suffering from an almost severe frostbite; the skin had completely turned black -a shade that if it got any darker, could go up against his own- from the knees and downwards. In his tries to restore her, he had applied warm water on the wounds and looking at them now, they seemed to turn more bluish and red around the edges, sure signs that the circulation was coming back; yet, they would take a little while to return to their normal state. So separating her toes with a bit of cotton, he wrapped the legs carefully, before covering them with the blanket. Other than that, he only had to make sure that she would stay warm and not step on her feet, something that was easier said than done. Looking around him, he realized that the lab was probably not the warmest place for her to be; for now, he would have to move her to his room to monitor her 24/7.  
  
What a pain this girl was…  
  
Moving the medical tables, he opens the door of the lab, gazing briefly around his room; he had stuffed a spare mattress on the small walk-in closet next to one of the bookshelves, so if he placed it under the window, she would be able both to be warmed by the radiator under it and get some vitamin D in her system from the sun. He wouldn’t have to worry too much about someone coming in and seeing her, since no one ever came in here, with the only exception being when they needed treatment; she was safe from being discovered for the time being. Plus, if he placed her there, then it would be easier for him to check up on her the moment he would wake up; not that she would be able to walk out the door and he had made sure to nail the window shut just in case.  
  
And so, the eyeless killer got down on business.  
  
Cleaning his room up from stuff he was too occupied to place in their right places the moment he had returned from the hunt, he took out the mattress from the closet, placing it under the window and throwing a spare pillow mindlessly on it, he walked back into the lab, picked the girl up along with the many blankets he used to keep her warm and returned to place her down on the mattress; all that took him a good amount of time, so by the time he made sure to enclose her wrist within a handcuff that he had connected to the radiator with a chain, the sun was already making his first appearance in the horizon, lightening the edges of the trees with his majestic light. Now, the only thing that was left is to find something for her to eat, since by restoring her strength, the process of healing would be accelerated. When he would go out for hunting tonight, he will make sure to stuff his pockets with some provisions from the victims’ houses, but for now, the only way for him to find some, was to go down in the kitchen.  
  
Luckily for him, the whole Creepypasta household was silent and the very few killers that resided in there and weren’t asleep hadn’t returned from their killing sprees, enabling EJ to stalk his way inside the kitchen and grab some food for the girl, without any unnecessary questions that he would be unable to answer; how on earth was he going to explain the sudden craving for human food, since his own nutrition consisted of human organs? So, safely returning to his room, he had just enough time to rest the provisions in a place where she wouldn’t see them right away and sit on the floor right next to her, before her eyes flickered uneasily and eventually opened.  
  
The first thing EJ noticed, right as the (e/c) orbs of the girl opened, was that no longer did the fire burn inside of them; he thought that after her outburst, the light would have been restored even as a smaller flame than before, so watching her look around soullessly, was something that he would never have expected. It was unnerving and that was something, coming from a killer; he had seen that happen numerous times in the past, but never did it affect him that much. Her eyes scanned the ceiling for a little bit, a small spark of curiosity passing briefly, until she moved her head and her stare fell on the eyeless man; again, he could read nothing of her true thoughts that were too concealed this time.  
  
‘Is this your room?’ she whispered, her voice seemingly coming from beyond the grave. EJ just hoped that the medicine hadn’t affected her singing abilities; for his own sake, not for hers. It would be a waste to lose his drug.  
  
‘Yes.’ He simply responded, watching her closely under his mask.  
  
She swallowed hard, before licking her lips a bit, to be able to speak more easily ‘What the hell am I doing here?’  
  
EJ’s voice sounded monotone even to him ‘I moved you here since the lab is too cold for your hypothermic episode.’  
  
She blinked once again and her gaze darkened ‘I didn’t mean that.’  
  
‘How are you feeling? Do you have any pain anywhere?’ EJ changed the subject skillfully. He wanted to avoid questions that he would be unable to answer in the first place.  
  
‘Like a million dollars girl!’ she barked out with her voice dripping from irony and tried to move, flinching as her limbs must surely be hurting her like hell. EJ rushed to help her stand up, listening to her heartbeat that became suddenly unsteady by the movement and not wanting her to die on spot from a heart attack that this time he would be unable due to her deteriorated state to reverse, he helped her stand up and lay back on the radiator. When he retreated again, she was watching him closely with her eyes narrowing ‘What do you think you b!stard? I’m in terrible pain and my legs are burning me! You cut them off, didn’t you?!’  
  
He tilted his head to the side and watched her silently for a moment, with a huge, sadistic grin forming on his lips, hidden from her sight ‘Address me like that one more time and I will put you into the test of how much sulphuric acid hurts when it enters the blood system.’  
  
Now terror clearly flashed from her empty eyes, altering her face into a terrified one, something that pleased the killer way more than he would like to admit. Maybe that would teach her some respect and how to talk when the odds are against her. That little insolent woman.  
  
‘Your state is so deteriorated that everything will hurt you for the next few days, until the reparation of the damages is in a sufficient level and the hypothermia is cured completely.’ EJ informed her ‘Your legs were heavily frostbitten but required no amputation, so they are going to hurt like living hell for the next week or so. I would advise you not to step on them at all, yet I know that my advices never reach your long ago stopped brain.’  
  
In his words, her jaw clenched firmly ‘So you didn’t cut them off as a punishment?’  
  
He nodded ‘No.’  
  
‘Well’ she gave him a forced smile ‘My brain must be the one that is stopped, but you are the bipolar one in here; other than beating me up once, you never dared anything else.’  
  
‘I can always throw you out of the room where you will meet something far worse than death or open you up and take your organs. Don’t test me ______; your attitude has already pushed my limits to the extreme.’  
  
The threat was so serious that it was almost tangible, yet the girl only scoffed.  
  
‘Yet here I am yet again; your threats don’t scare me anymore EJ. I told you yesterday: I want to die. I want to die so much that it pains me way more than the frostbite and even if you want to kill me and even if I begged you, here I am. Maybe I should step outside of this room and let whoever is out there to take care of it for me.’ she replied evenly, her voice so cold that the whole room seemed to drop a few degrees; she was also pretty serious about it.  
  
EJ thought about it for a few minutes, allowing the silence to fall among them as he studied the girl from behind his mask; the emotionless façade was still there and it seemed to grow darker and darker with each passing second, as she must surely have noticed his hesitation; yes, if she was anybody else, she would already be dead. But she wasn’t.  
  
Letting out an inaudible sigh under his mask, EJ turned and grabbed the food he had hidden, placing it inside the girl’s resting hands. The moment she saw them, her eyes widened.  
  
‘What are these?’  
  
‘Two slices of bread, a slice of cheese and some water; pretty much what you can stomach after so many days without food. You should eat to replenish your strength and help your wounds heal.’  
  
‘I’m not eating those, unless you give me some answers.’ She said.  
  
‘Why am I not surprised at all?’ he sighed, this time audibly ‘Eat and I will explain the situation.’  
  
She swallowed hard; that, he could tell by the movement of her neck, even if he didn’t have eyes. It was only normal that she would be famished, since he had only given her another slice of bread four days or even a week ago. Other than that, she had been receiving all the necessary nutrition through a serum, which did keep her alive, but led to a huge loss of weight, making her practically so petite that Clockwork’s clothes seemed all too big for her. Keeping her gaze nailed on him, he brought the bread and the cheese close to her nose, sniffed once and took a small bite, as if she was afraid that they were poisoned; it wasn’t that EJ hadn’t thought of that -as he smiled a sly smirk under the mask- but she could do him no good if she was dead. Then, she started eating away, waiting patiently for him nonetheless. He knew that if he didn’t give her any answers, she would stop, even if that led her to drool over the food; an annoying human habit that he also had.  
  
‘Strange as it may seem to your incompetent mind, I have failed to analyze you to the full extend that I would wish.’ He admitted ‘I have given your request for death a lot of consideration nonetheless, but since you have far exceeded my previous specimens, I have no will to grand your wish for now, until I have all the data that I need. You seem more interesting than I thought at first, so I decided to keep you.’  
  
‘So you are not going to kill me right?’ she pointed out the obvious, even if she had understood him completely.  
  
‘You are far too valuable at the moment. This is why I chose not to cut your legs off as a punishment as well; I want you to be able to react and run if times call for it. Of course, I will keep your presence hidden from any potential threat, either that is your own self or the other residents of this house; I need you to be in the best of shapes in order for me to conduct my experiments.’ He admitted evenly.  
  
‘Your own guinea pig…’ she breathed out.  
  
‘Exactly.’  
  
‘No death for me then!’ she choked out and from the unexpected sound, EJ gazed towards her, noticing large tears cascading down her face.  
  
She was eating her last bites and crying all at the same time, yet her face was calm and collected, leaving nothing to be shown towards the outside world, other than her tears.  
  
‘I can’t kill you.’ he admitted and partially, it was true, no matter how much the kidney-eating killer denied it.  
  
‘Why?’ she demanded to know.  
  
‘I told you, you are too value-‘  
  
BAM!  
  
Everything happened within a split second. There were only a few times in his undead life that EJ was so taken aback by something, that his killer or animalistic instincts failed to take it in and at this point, this was one of them. Everything seemed to be okay, he was explaining to ______ the reasons why he couldn’t kill her and she was eating her last bites, but one moment she was sitting right in front of him and the next moment she wasn’t. Surprise didn’t even had the chance to occur to the eyeless killer’s deranged mind, as two hands wrapped around his neck and something came in hard contact with his own body, throwing him against the floor, with the head of the monstrous man hitting it mercilessly and producing a cracking sound that earned a surprised exclamation from his part. The demon that was resting inside the darkness of his mind awakened and growled loudly, making his empty sockets search for the attacker immediately, letting out a hellish growl. Only that it wasn’t some random enemy that decided to attack him. Oh no. It was _______.  
  
Without the killer knowing how, the small girl had pulled all the energy that was left inside of her, collecting it and unleashing it like a whip, as she catapulted herself against him, wrapping her fragile hands around his neck and pinning him to the ground, not because of her sheer strength that was obviously no match to the supernatural killer, but by using the element of surprise to her advantage. Now, she was sitting on his chest, her hands tightening around his neck –apparently he had to shorten the chain of the handcuff if it was so easy for her to reach him- and with her eyes flashing with pure rage, like a lighthouse on a stormy night; the anger was coming and going from her otherwise empty eyes, like it was flickering inside her very soul.  
  
‘You’re a good-for-nothing killer!’ she hissed, her voice filled with hatred ‘I have found myself the only killer that is unable to kill me! What a pathetic excuse of a killer! Why can’t you kill me huh?! Why can’t you do the only thing you are good at?! KILL ME! F*CKING DO IT ALREADY!’ she screamed at his face.  
  
That was it.  
  
Grabbing her wrists he turned his body to the side in a flash and threw her to the floor beside him, before towering well above her, pinning her fragile hands to each side of her head and trapping her down by using his own body. If he applied a bit more strength, her wrists would surely shatter under his immense strength, but for the sake of keeping her alive, he restrained and took control over his anger, before it allowed him to rip her head off.  
  
When he spoke, he knew that the one talking was the demon and not his own self.  
  
‘I am going to kill you when I f*cking want to, do you understand me, you pathetic woman? All I ask of you is one month. One single month of staying with me, without trying to escape and without death wishes, to help me understand why you are so different from all the other humans I took. Then I will happily grand your wish and kill you once and for all. But for that one month, I refuse to kill you so that you can keep me some company. I will keep you around. Is your brain able to understand that?’  
  
As the man was speaking, he could see all kinds of emotion passing from the girl’s eyes, mostly consisting of anger and disgust, something that only made him smile slyly. Yet, as he finished his sentence, hate was replaced by surprise and eventually, she smiled a mocking smile; at first, he didn’t understand why and that puzzled him, but as realization dawned on him, he had the strong urge to kick himself.  
  
Why had he told her that he wanted her company? What the absolute hell did that mean?!  
  
‘So killers feel lonely as well huh?’ she mocked him, but eventually sighed ‘Fine. One month. You have yourself a deal EJ.’


	18. Chapter 18 The Art Of Coexisting

‘Push yourself a bit more _____.’  
  
‘No, I can’t EJ! It’s too painful!’  
  
‘How do you know if you don’t give it a try?’  
  
‘Well how do you know to begin with?!’ you mutter angrily ‘No, no, no, don’t do that, no! Aouch! F*ck! EJ!’  
  
‘See? It’s not that bad now, is it?’  
  
‘It’s as bad as the first time we tried it! It pains me like hell!’  
  
‘Would you prefer it if your legs atrophy and I have to cut them off? Try to walk on them so the circulation starts again!’ he breathed out, his patience starting to waver faintly.  
  
It had been around three days that you had finally woken up, only to be surprised by the deal that none other than your abductor and torturer EJ suggested, a certain deal that you weren’t so fond of, but by thinking it through, was the best you could ever achieve with the masked killer. Let’s be honest here; you were completely convinced that he would have chopped off your legs and probably kept you alive so that he could kill you when he had the chance to really see life abandoning your body, yet when you found yourself on his room, carefully tucked inside the blankets and with both your legs attached to you even if they were severely frostbitten, you were both surprised and angry. Surprised because not even in a million years would you have guessed that he would offer you such a deal and in such a calm manner, exactly as if you were talking about the weather and you were both good buddies, rather than a killer and his potential victim. But you were also angry; angry because no matter how much you had begged him to kill you, he didn’t do it, prolonging your torture even more. Why? Why couldn’t a killer do the only thing that he was designed to do and end your suffering? Why was he unable to do it? The only thing that you wanted right now was to be released to Heaven, where you would meet again with your father and most importantly, Jack.  
  
Still, the answer was given to you by the killer himself.  
  
 _…I refuse to kill you so that you can keep me some company…_  
  
He was lonely.  
  
The killer was lonely.  
  
Had the gods been playing a trick on you? Was that nothing more than a misunderstanding? Something that your brain was unable to process? These thoughts were the very first ones to pass from your mind when you heard his words, but even if you couldn’t see his eyes; his whole posture betrayed nothing that would prove him otherwise. Then, it dawned to you; he was actually lonely. Whether this was sad or something to laugh about, you knew not, but in the realization, something changed inside your mind. Suddenly, he wasn’t the ruthless killer that had completely abandoned his emotions; no, he was actually pretty capable of feeling one of the most dreadful illnesses that exist upon this miserable world. The illness of being deprived by someone’s company; no one, absolutely no one was safe from this demon and the very proof for that was lying under you –after your sudden attack- and realized just then that maybe it wasn’t a clever thing to reveal his actual thoughts to you. But instead of mocking him in any way, you finally agreed to his deal. You too, knew all too well what being lonely was and if he was willing to kill you after the said month, then why not keep him some company?  
  
Still, that did not mean in the slightest way that you had trust in him. Even after three days that he allowed you to do nothing more but eat and sleep all day long, helping you replenish your strength and provide you with both food and medicine, you still eyed him suspiciously every time he turned his back to you, in case he was lying and was ready to snap your neck at any given moment; because he was still perfectly capable to do that and you were no fool to begin with. To your utter surprise though, your fears never bloomed; he didn’t even do as much as raise his voice to you. No, there were many times that the both of you allowed the deafening silence to fall between you, but nothing hostile towards anyone took place. He was even helping you restore your legs back to their original state.  
  
And that was exactly what he was trying to do right now.  
  
Unlocking the chain around your wrist, he passed his inhumanely sturdy arm under your two own and picked you up with no struggle from his part at all. Just as if you were a true feather, he grabbed you steadily and raised you on your own two feet with exceptional care, trying to help you avoid stepping on them too much, but enough in order to attempt taking a few steps. He didn’t mess with you too much, usually allowing you to be in peace and only bringing you food and water, yet he was only adamant in helping you regain your ability to walk, since even after so many days, your feet were still tightly bandaged and completely unable to walk.  
  
‘I don’t get why bothering in the first place. Isn’t the frostbite going to retreat eventually?’ you muttered completely annoyed, flinching a little bit as you stepped on your right leg.  
  
‘Yes, but keeping them idle will enable the formation of blood clots and if the said blood clots reach your heart, there is nothing I can do to keep you alive. You will die instantly.’ He informed you patiently and helped you take another step.  
  
‘I guess your need for some company wins over your need to kill me right?’ you eyed him out of the corner of your eye, yet his emotionless mask remained unchanged, just like his tone when he eventually spoke, after a small pause.  
  
‘I do not see the reason why you are thinking the deal over; I will give you what you want, in exchange for what I want.’  
  
In his words, a devious smile crept its way on your lips ‘And I will say it again; who would have thought that killers have a soft spot for loneliness as well. Aren’t you unable to feel anything?’  
  
‘No.’ he said ‘Just because I am a killer, that does not in any way mean that I am unable to feel or experience things just like your own kind does. It is in a way strange for humans, such as yourself, to always completely dehumanize killers and mass murderers; you believe that they do not feel, they do not think, they are just killing machines that act on impulse just like any primitive organism does that has no intelligence. But this is utterly wrong _____ and in a way insulting. We do feel; we monsters not only feel, but sometimes experience certain emotions in a greater scale than you. Some can experience love, we do experience companionship and the feeling of happiness, yet even if we do, it is in a different way than the one you do. I can only explain your need to dehumanize us as an inner need to separate yourselves from us, but in the end, we are all the same. All monsters are human in one way or another.’  
  
‘So you can’t find companionship even among your own kind?’ you mutter, feeling strangely ashamed for your previous words.  
  
You could have sworn that at that point, you heard him chuckle a bit under his mask, yet the sound was so low, that your mind decided to dispose of it as a mere piece of your imagination.  
  
‘I did not, but I thought I was at least content. I did not feel companionship, yet I was content in the way I was. Does this not apply to you as well? You begged me to kill you because you were lonely.’  
  
At this point, he completely stopped with trying to make you walk and turned towards you, with his navy blue mask leaning down to gaze upon your petite form, with his black eye sockets burying themselves on you as they studied your face. From this close proximity, his height was looming threatenly above you and his sturdy chest was only inches away, with a faint aroma of pepper and blood reaching your nose, accompanied by something else that you couldn’t wrap your finger around just yet; still, the proximity and difference between you made you feel so uncomfortable, that your brain was completely unable to think calmly and analyze all the info that he was given, making it impossible for you to study his slight reactions. In his words though, you felt your face fall and you frowned the very same moment that you exhaled.  
  
‘Yes, that’s true actually.’ Your eyes met with anything else but him ‘After Jack disappeared, nothing was the same and I can’t say that anyone but him gave a damn for me since my father died. After his disappearance, I’m always alone.’ You shrugged ‘I guess we are the same when it comes to that.’  
  
‘Didn’t your human relatives attend to you at all? Humans may be completely vulnerable but they do protect their young.’ His tone was so puzzled that you almost laughed.  
  
‘Not in my family. My mother had a serious alcohol problem and my step-dad only worsened that. They never really cared.’  
  
‘And your friend?’ he was really curious for a killer.  
  
‘He was my only hope, until he went missing. We used to do everything together and being around him was what kept me sane through all those years of abuse. Now, since you were involved with him –even if you knew it or not- I know that he is long ago dead.’ You sigh ‘My poor Jack…’  
  
He remained silent for a while, allowing your thoughts to travel back to the happy times when Jack was with you and everything seemed to have a meaning for existing. Yet when EJ spoke again, what he said, almost gave you a heart attack.  
  
‘From what I can understand, the two of you were romantically involved, weren’t you?’  
  
Without any doubt, this was one of those moments that the brain itself simply denies processing and understanding the messages that he is offered. On the contrary, your breath hitched inside your chest and your eyes popped open with surprise, with your damaged heart starting running a marathon, her beats rising up to pound loudly in your ears, giving you the feeling that you were having an aneurism. A bright red color spread all over your face and your mouth fell open angrily, ready to respond to the killer’s simple observation and accuse him for false conclusions.  
  
‘O-Of course we weren’t! H-How dare you say that?!’ you spat angrily, your burning eyes falling on him with nothing but pure spite ‘Jack was my only friend and I loved him for that!’  
  
His mask covered his expression, so if your words gave him any reaction, you will never know. The only thing that you were sure about though, was the fact that he remained silent for a little while, looking at you through his mask.  
  
‘Very well then.’ He finally spoke up ‘On other matters, I have prepared a few tests to run in order to analyze the condition of your heart completely. I believe our attempts to make you walk are over for now, let us proceed with the tests.’  
  
‘Should I lay your insistence on your murderous nature? Because you just can’t get over the fact that you don’t know about my heart and that drives you even crazier.’ You smile slyly to him.  
  
With a swift move, the male bends down and passing his hand on the back of your knees, he picks you up bridal style in just a mere fraction of a second and makes his way towards his lab, kicking the door open; if it was three days ago, you would have protested and argued with him, but since he did that every single day, now you felt less surprised by it yet in no way comfortable by being carried around. Not that your weight seemed to affect him in any way, but as he explained to you himself, carrying you around was easier than making you walk, since you had the extreme velocity of a snail and despite his calm nature, waiting for you was like waiting for death. You had rolled your eyes mockingly when he said that particular part, but instead of suffering under his judicial stare while trying to move around, you chose to just play along with it.  
  
And exactly like the other days, he opened the lights of the lab, before walking over to the medical bed and placing you on it with exceptional care, proceeding with gathering all the stuff that he was going to need, like a stethoscope, various needles and many other stuff that you failed to label. For a few moments, you allowed your gaze to follow the man, swinging your feet playfully back and forth as they hovered over the floor, before grabbing the edges of your blouse and pull it off completely, freeing your boiling skin to come in touch with the cold air. A shiver shot down your spine, but you ignored it mindlessly, wanting the whole examinations to hurry up already and suppressing your urge to cover your bra with your hands. There was no way for him to examine you with your clothes on and despite his reassurances that his interest was only on a medical level, your mind kept screaming that he was a man nonetheless and a deranged one as well. But, if you had to choose between willingly taking the blouse off and him freeing you from it with sheer force, the answer was all too clear inside your mind.  
  
You sighed and focused on his form once again.  
  
‘Can I ask you a question?’ you suddenly break the silence first.  
  
‘If it is a stupid one, please spare me the torture of hearing it.’ He answered while filling a syringe with a clear liquid ‘You seem to have a lot of those.’  
  
‘Screw you!’  
  
‘Is that eagerness I hear?’ his tone was again calm, as he walked over to you, grabbing the stethoscope and throwing his hoodie back, his auburn locks protruding to every possible direction in a messy way as he placed the earpiece on his ears and the chestpiece above your heart.  
  
You ignored his comment ‘What is your story?’  
  
‘What do you mean?’ comes his muffled voice from behind the mask.  
  
Rolling your eyes you repeat yourself clearly this time ‘What led you to become a killer? How did you finally snapped?’  
  
The silence that fell among you was a deafening one, were you watched him carefully, knowing that he was probably drowning inside his own thoughts, debating on whether to tell you or not and if yes, what parts should he leave out of the story. Being around people that never held back with their words, you always knew when someone was struggling to express them and to be honest, to see a killer struggling with them was rather peculiar than normal. You knew that he had probably slaughtered hundreds of people, but would the detail frighten you that much? Still, when he finally sighed, you knew that precious parts of information were coming your way.  
  
‘All I know was that I was wandering around in the forest before the master of this house found me. I kind of was already insane.’ He confessed, moving on with his examinations.  
  
‘And he took you in here?’ in this question he nodded ‘How can a house filled with killers exist and not be found by the police? I’m sure not all of them are as thorough as you are when it comes to chasing people around.’  
  
‘It is due to the master’s powers. He is able to conceal the presence of the house, so you need someone from the inside to lead you to it and in the extremely rare case that you find your way here uninvited, the aura around the house will kill you instantly.’ He confessed.  
  
‘And the others, are they like you?’ you mumble.  
  
‘Some of them yes, some of them no. There are various kinds of monsters around here _____ but never fail to believe that currently, I am the only one that will not kill you on the spot.’ His mask turned to gaze at your face, studying your reactions.  
  
Your face betrayed no emotion ‘Oh I know that very well. As I am not stupid enough to realize that you are telling me all this because you will kill me in the end; in the case that I escaped with all these info, I would be a serious threat to all of you.’  
  
‘I will remind you that you tried that and it only left you with severe injuries and frostbitten. If I hadn’t found you, you would have died inside the forest, never even coming close on escaping with the information.’ He admitted and you could hear the smirk that must be plastered on his lips under the mask ‘I observe that you are not that naïve after all.’  
  
Giving him a bitter smirk, you were seriously tempted to kick him where the sun doesn’t shine, a spot that was within your kicking range ‘Your surprise insults me, but I will let it slide for once.’ You comment deviously ‘All in all though, what are you exactly?’  
  
This time, his chuckle was clearly audible as he grabbed another syringe and gently injected you with it ‘I will allow you to take a wild guess.’  
  
Thinking about it for a second, your mouth falls open but your thoughts are too wild to enable any sound to come out. You had neither a clear picture of him just yet nor a theory and from his tone, he knew it all too well.  
  
‘To be completely honest with you’ you were carefully weighting your every word ‘Your coal black skin, accompanied by your extreme strength and durability, as well as your shark-like teeth, doesn’t really make you fall under the human category.’ You shrugged ‘Yet I have failed to pinpoint what you are.’  
  
‘Let me enlighten you then.’ He said and leaned closer towards you, in such way, that your face was inches away from his royal blue mask, which tilted to the side before he continued talking ‘I am a monster. A beast that preys on your own kind and will stop at nothing to hunt them down, even in broad daylight. A fair proof for that is that I do not have eyes, yet I can still see even better than you.’  
  
Nah, you mustn’t have heard correctly.  
  
‘Excuse me, what?’ you breathe out, blinking your confusion away.  
  
‘What did you not understand?’ he patiently continues.  
  
‘The part where you have no eyes.’  
  
Instead of giving you an answer, he raises his left index finger, making sure that you are watching his every single move; it wasn’t that hard for you to focus on him, since his comment had thrown you completely off balance and right now, you could think nothing more than the fact that he must be messing with you, trying to get a freaked out response from your side. But the moment you see a sharp move of his hand, your eyes follow the move, only to see his finger getting stuck inside his eye socket, as far as the finger could get. Your reaction is immediate. Your hands fly to cover your mouth, the very same moment that a piercing scream filled with terror leaves your lips and your back leans as far back as it can get, trying to move you away from the monstrous man that is now chuckling under his mask, clearly amused by your reaction and pulling away his finger from the eye socket. Your expectations to see a long line of blood connecting the finger with the eye were high, but also disappointed when nothing happened; he didn’t even flinch in pain. He just continued laughing.  
  
‘HOLY SH!T!’ you scream.  
  
‘If I knew it would frighten you that much, I would have done that earlier.’ He admitted, more to himself than to you.  
  
‘That was freaky as hell EJ! You really have no eyes!’ you exclaimed stupefied.  
  
‘Freaking out yet?’  
  
‘Well, a little bit to be honest, but I don’t think all the info has been processed yet! How the hell can you see?! It’s impossible!’  
  
‘That is a question I cannot answer myself. I just can.’ He shrugged indifferently, like you were talking about the weather, grabbing a nearby syringe, filled with a black liquid.  
  
‘What is that? More freaky stuff?’ you eye it suspiciously.  
  
‘I ran some tests on your blood and it turns out we have the same blood type, so this right here’ he raised the syringe so that you could see it more clearly ‘Is part of my blood. Before you freak out entirely, I would like to inform you that my nature allows me to heal faster than the human kind, so I was curious to see if it will have any effect on you as well. I have tested it with your blood and it completely absorbs it, so there is no fear of you dying or anything. It will take one day to spread around and give any effects though, so I will be studying you closely.’ He said, taking your hand in his with exceptional gentleness, before piercing you with the needle. Not that you really had a chance in stopping him in the first place.  
  
‘So more freaky stuff indeed.’ You sighed, watching the coal black liquid disappearing inside your hand ‘How are you sure that it won’t turn me to someone like your kind?’  
  
‘It’s nearly impossible to become like me, so you do not have to worry at all.’  
  
‘How do you know?’  
  
‘Because, we are not in a movie regarding vampires or other supernatural creatures. You read too many stories ______.’ He helped you up ‘How about walking back to the room?’  
  
‘How about no?’ you throw him an angry look.  
  
‘I am glad we agree.’ He comments, moving forward and making you take a step to reach him. He may be a calm one, but when he downright ignored you, it was always infuriating.  
  
Thus, there was nothing you can do but try walking along with him. Every time you stepped on your frostbitten legs, it was as if EJ had made you walk on a field of protruding nails that were being stuck on your flesh mercilessly, but there was no blood to accompany them and your own two feet felt like they were made of jelly; easy to be pierced and very hard to walk on. Tightening your jaw with sheer might, you focus all your attention away from the pain, trying to move around without allowing the piecing scream to emerge from your lungs or giving in to the need of slapping EJ across the face for making you endure all this. Try focusing on other stuff ______, it will help you cope with it _______!  
  
‘So you don’t remember anything from your past, right EJ?’  
  
‘No, I don’t remember anything at all.’  
  
Then, right as you had almost reached the threshold of the lab, a hard knock was heard coming from the bedroom door. Both of you froze on your tracks, your gazes immediately fixing on the door and you could clearly hear your heart stopping inside your chest, something that you were sure EJ heard as well. Mentally, you prayed for the door to remain shut.  
  
‘EJ we need you downstairs asap. Come out dude.’ A voice came from the other side and for a moment, you thought it belonged to a teenage boy.  
  
You swallowed hard.  
  
‘I’m coming Ben.’ EJ’s voice was hiding a bit of panic inside as well, as he turned towards you ‘Stay here and don’t make a sound.’ He ordered, letting go of you and storming out of the lab, closing and locking the door behind him.  
  
You watched him disappear and heard the lock turning and for a single moment your heart stood completely still, thankful that whoever it was outside the room, did not open the door; it was out of pure luck that he didn’t. But once this moment passed, you remembered something else as well: for the past three days that you had woken up, you were completely unable to stand up on your own. The result? You failed to take in when your knees gave out under you and before you knew it, you were already crashing hard on the cold white floor, your butt coming hard in contact with it, only to be followed by your head soon afterwards, producing a loud cracking sound that earned it a penetrating, pained scream as you rolled on your side, clutching your pained body hard. A few tears of pain rolled down your cheeks and a rich variety of swear words left your lips.  
  
In his hurry, EJ had left you alone, forgetting that you were unable to stand, so now, you were hurt and trapped because of him.  
  
‘Damn you EJ!’ you bit out ‘Damn you eyeless idiot! You’ll pay for this!’


	19. Chapter 19 What Am I To You?

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.  
  
Turn around.  
  
One. Two. Three.  
  
‘I see that your condition is getting better with the passing days.’ EJ commented lightly, exiting from his lab and finding you pacing his room up and down, arms suspended on the sides for balance and mind occupied with counting each careful step you took. You look up to meet with the man’s empty stare and upon doing so, you grace him with a wide smile of bliss before spinning around to show off the restoration of your complete control over your legs.  
  
‘It was about time, don’t you think? I was so tired of you carrying me around.’ you sigh and pass from right in front of him.  
  
Today marked the passing of two whole weeks from the moment you and EJ had made your deal and it was the fourth day that you were once again able to walk by yourself. The frostbite had finally started to withdraw, allowing you both to save your legs from being amputated and be able to walk around without wanting to rip your legs out from the pain or EJ carrying you. So without the eyeless man –an attribute that you were still kind of freaked out about- making you walk around the room to train your legs, you did so by yourself, wanting both to put a bit of space between you and regain your pride in not requiring help to do the most simple things. Not that EJ was one to complain or anything like that; on the contrary, within the span of those weeks, you found out that the man held unlimited supplies of patience and calmness, even for the most tough situations that made even you want to bang your head on the wall.  
  
Why?  
  
Because not being able to walk yourself to the bathroom or having to be carried around like a doll to do even the simplest of things, was both nerve racking and a source of unlimited shame for you. Yes, EJ walked you to the bathroom of his lab but no, he always stopped on the threshold and closed the door for you, so you pretty much had to crawl your way to the shower and anything else you needed- never, ever! were you going to let him help you in there; but other than that, the man was patiently helping you, not making a single comment that could prove his discomfort to you. He brought you food, gave you one of his books to read when you were bored and went around with your examinations, showing nothing but pure fascination towards you. Every once in a while he would make you sing, mostly before the both of you went to sleep and not even once did he lay his finger to hurt you in any way, keeping his promise to the letter; this was what eventually made you relax your attitude towards him as well. Yes, he was still a lethal threat but the more time you spend around with him, the more you started to notice little things about his character that would otherwise pass unnoticed.  
  
Like the fact that he valued his personal space more than anything else. Once he was alone inside his lab, you were absolutely forbidden from disturbing him, except if you were dying suddenly or someone had charged inside the room. Also, you weren’t allowed to touch anything inside the room except from his rich variety of books that went from normal and easy-to-read material, to huge books about anatomy, medical conditions and anything that had to do with the human body. Other than that, he had all kinds of small quirks that made him a very strange but interesting person; like his need to keep his room as tidy as possible yet denying your help to clean up, the weird looks he gave you every time you ate even a small piece of bread or the complete freak out when you were smelling funny when that time of the month was here. Still, he continued to be a very serious and to-the-point person, even if he cracked a joke every once in a while. The weirdest thing of them all, was that after the first week, you found yourself laughing at the said jokes, something that weirded you out; how can one be even remotely relaxed around a killer?!  
  
Alas, even if you were still afraid as hell of him, you found yourself in a way relaxing in his presence; you knew perfectly well that you could wake up with a sliced neck at any given time, still you kind of enjoyed the small-talk the two of you shared.  
  
‘I’m going out for the night, so I except you to behave yourself while I’m gone.’ You heard him say from behind you as you walked back to your bed and plopped down on the mattress, watching as the man walked over to his closet, opening it and proceeding to stuff various things in his pockets, like syringes and a scalpel. In the sound of his words a cold chill went down your spine, but you tried to ignore it.  
  
‘Why are you saying it like that? I only tried to escape when you were gone last time.’ you mock him.  
  
‘I am aware of that and this is why I request from you to behave. This time, the only way to escape is through the front door, since I nailed the window shut, but you know what will happen if you cross that door right?’ he simply said, ignoring your tone and checking to see if his mask was correctly placed; not that he took it off at all.  
  
‘You will come back to find me grinded into pulp.’ You breathed out and pulled your blankets towards you.  
  
‘Exactly.’ He pulled his hoodie to cover his hair ‘And you know that our deal states otherwise.’  
  
‘I know, I know. But what will happen if anyone tries to get in?’  
  
He must have sensed the sudden change in your tone, which altered from playful to a bit scared, since he turned and his empty holes nailed themselves to you ‘No one is going to come inside; they know that I’ll be gone, so there is no reason for them to come.’  
  
Fiddling with your thumbs and literally feeling his stare nailed on you, you ask the only question that was pestering your mind all these days that you two have been coexisting in peace ‘But what will happen if they do find out about me EJ?’  
  
In your words, the tall male remained silent; it was quite obvious to you that he had also given thought to that scenario and since he was debating on what to say, the odds were not so good about you. Maybe they weren’t good for the both of you. so, you stayed there for a little bit, minds working with a thousand turns per second, with his own deranged brain trying to find a possible answer and your own brain regretting ever asking this question; not even you wanted to know in the end of the day. But as you opened your mouth to tell him to forget about it, he spoke first.  
  
‘You want the whole truth?’  
  
His tone was cold and completely emotionless, making you yelp in your spot and your brain struggle to form the necessary words to give him a response.  
  
‘Yes.’ _No! Why did you say that? You didn’t want to know!_  
  
‘You will be immediately executed and I will be exiled from this house; if not killed on the spot as well for letting out the secret about my kind.’  
  
_Yep, there it is, he said it._  
  
‘I’ll never ask a question like that.’ you murmur, more to yourself than to anyone else.  
  
‘You shouldn’t ask questions like that in general.’ He says and walks to the door ‘I will be back sooner than last time, a few hours before dawn. If you need your medications, search for them in the lab, but I believe that my blood has helped your heart to stabilize for now.’  
  
That was true actually. Ever since the first shot of his blood that he injected you with, the arrhythmias were a bit stabilized and you found yourself with both more energy and less need of medication. You were actually amazed to find that out, but it also made you think what was he even more; no human ever had black blood to begin with, let alone with healing properties. No matter how much you wanted to question him about it though and try to learn the truth, you eventually decided against it; you didn’t know if you wanted to know in the first place and maybe the truth was way more dangerous than living with him inside a house filled with killers as well. EJ seemed excited by your physical progress nonetheless and the injections were now an everyday occurrence. A little voice inside your head told you that maybe this was the cause of the restoration of your frostbitten legs, even if the bruises hadn’t disappeared completely just yet from your shagged skin.  
  
You nodded ‘No need to worry, I don’t think I’ll need them.’  
  
‘Then I will be on my way.’ he said, opening the door and passing on the dark corridor behind it. Closing it behind him, you heard the soft _‘click’_ that the key made and you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding, knowing that since he had locked you in, you were somewhat safe.  
  
Instinctively, your eyes wandered to the only clock that existed in the room, just above the door: eleven o’ clock. So EJ will be back around five in the morning. Great. That gave you quite a bit of time by yourself, just like you were wishing all those days; the man had never ventured out to do his…. hobby from the moment you first tried to escape, but right now, you weren’t even willing to try anything and jut wanted some peace of mind. You just wanted to relax and sleep the remaining hours of the night away. Picking yourself up carefully, your light steps lead you in front of the lab door, which you push open and turn on the lights. The cold floor tiles enabled the piecing cold to penetrate your exposed skin as you walked to the bathroom barefooted, making you shiver violently; EJ hadn’t provided you with any socks or something like that, so you avoided the lab area and only walked around the bedroom, since it had wood paved down.  
  
Entering the bathroom, you closed and locked the door behind you, before stripping from your clothes and entering the shower. EJ was gentleman enough not to come barging in while you showered, but out of instinct, you continued to lock the door just in case. Turning the faucet on, the moment the relieving hot water comes in contact with your cold skin, you let out a sigh of relief, feeling your muscles relax considerably and the tension leaving your body once and for all. It was one of the last things that truly made you happy right now and took your mind off from things, mostly from thinking that Jack was gone and you were practically a prisoner to a bloodthirsty killer. Well, at least it was way better here than in your own house; EJ might be one of the most dangerous people to walk planet earth, but right now, he was treating you better than your family ever did. Even after all the years that had passed, various scars left from things that you were beaten with or injured you, still remained on your (s/c) skin, accompanying the ones that EJ gave you, but had long ago healed completely.  
  
_‘I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream…I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam; and I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem…But if I know you, I know what you'll do; you'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream…’_  
  
You were curious though to see how your mother and step-father were doing. Did your mother continue drinking? Oh come on! Of course she would continue to, but instead of mourning for your presence, she would probably drink to celebrate your absence. The one to truly mourn you though, must be your step-father Jake; now, he wouldn’t have a punching bag to mess around with when all his potential employers realized what kind of a scumbag he was and fired him on the spot or when he failed to find money from his friends. You wonder though, how long did the money they had collected from your singing last after you ran away? It must be around two months now that you went to college and were abducted from EJ, so if they aren’t working, it’s sure as hell that they have no money… To hell with them, you don’t really care. They tormented you long enough.  
  
 _‘But if I know you, I know what you'll do….You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream…’_  
  
Stepping out of the shower you safely wrap yourself in a nice towel and begin to dry yourself off. Even for a man, EJ had pretty good taste when it came to choosing –or most probably stealing from his victims’ houses- towels. Now, you were all set and dressed up, and the last thing that remained was to shove yourself under your warm blankets.  
  
 _‘I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream…I know you, that gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam… And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem.. But if I know you, I know what you'll do, you'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream…’_  
  
The way back to your bed was faster than usual, since your need for sleep and a few hours of not thinking was just what you needed. So turning the lights off and pulling the covers to protect you, you shortly drift off to the numbness of sleep.  
  


**~ * ~**

  
  
The darkness of the room greeted you once again like a constant companion when you were pulled out of your dream and brought back to reality once again. You shifted uneasily and rubbed your tired eyes, sleep still dancing on the edges of your brain along with the dream you were seeing up until then. But you couldn’t return to the relief of the unconscious just yet; your throat was burning you up and you were parched. Groaning in annoyance with your bad luck, you toss your covers to the side, the cold air wrapping around you immediately as you stood up; it was way colder than normal and from the piecing cold and emptiness of the room, it was evident that EJ hadn’t returned just yet.  
Turning your head to gaze outside the window, you see a threatening blizzard having wrapped the whole scenery up, eating the tall trees away and covering everything outside the glass, giving the landscape a terrifying tint of white and complete darkness fused together in an odd but breathtaking mix. The trees were swinging back and forth harshly to the merciless air that was emanating by the magnitude of the bad weather, turning into distant black masses that had completely emerged to one another; one was completely unable to see where one ended and the other started. Even if the vast skies were covered by the thick layer of clouds that only served to darken the night even more, millions of snowflakes were dancing around as they made their way to the ground, managing to place white spots on the dark night.  
  
No wonder it was so cold tonight. And EJ is out there, making his way through the woods…  
  
Without bothering with the lights of the bedroom, you walk to the lab and open the lights there, wanting to get some water from the faucet on the washbasin and ending up momentarily blinding yourself. You groan and cover your eyes, that don’t take too long in adjusting so you continue on inside the room. Out of the corner of your eye though, you spot a nice fridge resting in one of the walls of the lab on your left. Some cold water would be nice right now actually; maybe EJ keeps some in there.  
  
With your eyes half-leaded still, you open the fridge only to find two jars that were filled with a weird greenish yet transparent liquid and nothing more inside the fridge whatsoever. Grabbing one of the jars, you bring it close to your eyes for further inspection.  
  
The one you were holding was filled with something round and red…. It even had a bite taken from the right side of it…waiiit. It seemed a bit familiar… the shape… the color..the veins….  
  
Wait.  
  
Veins?  
  
Blinking once again to clear your vision, you look at it again, only for your brain to immediately realize what you were looking at.  
  
It was a heart.  
  
A human heart.  
  
A half-eaten, human heart.  
  
Suddenly, all you saw was your own fingers relaxing their grip around the jar; the heavy item followed the natural laws of gravity that pulled it hard towards the cold floor and in slow motion, the glass gracefully covered the distance, only to shatter completely once it came in contact with the floor, breaking into million pieces and letting loose of the organ that it contained, releasing it to slip its way on the floor as well. A piercing scream broke through the silence of the night, puzzling your brain that was unable to understand that it was produced by none other than you; as if on cue, your legs backed away on their own, blindly moving you away from the grim spectacle, only to lose their balance and make you fall on the floor butt first. Your senses of self preservation didn’t stop there though; you backed away all the way till your back came in contact with the cabinets all the way across the room. Your eyes were still glued on the heart, until it happened.  
  
Your stomach hurled and turning on the side, you emptied it.  
  
A human heart! You couldn’t believe it! It was an actual, half eaten, human heart! And it was lying on the floor right across from your terrified figure, completely bled out and empty, with the bite mark drawing your eyes like a magnet. You pulled your knees and rested your head on them, rocking yourself back and forth, trying desperately to think clearly and understand what the situation was, why there are half eaten organs on the fridge, but once your brain finally manages to form the answer, you hurl once again.  
  
Time seized to exist around you and it seemed like an eternity passed by you and you didn’t even notice it; the only thing you could really see was the heart lying on the floor and your constant back and forth movement as you tried to get a grip of yourself. At some point, you heard the door of the room open and someone walk inside the bedroom but you didn’t even flinch; it wasn’t until the lab door opened further to reveal a cautious EJ. His empty gaze firstly fell on the mess that spread right in front of him glass and the greenish liquid mixed together, before following the trail of glass that lead towards you; unwillingly, once he looked at you, you yelped and tears rolled down from the corners of your eyes, making their way on your clothes; you didn’t even realize you were crying silently, up until then. Blinking them away, you stared calmly at the frozen male who was covered in small snowflakes that came in contrast with his totally black attire and was holding a sizeable bag on his left hand that produced the sound of glass when it hit each other; you didn’t even want to think what was inside.  
  
The silence that fell between you was a deafening one; like the silence of the dead, it fell among you like a heavy cloud, were no one dared to break. What wouldn’t you give to know EJ’s thoughts right now, but your own thoughts were deafening ones as well.  
  
Eventually, he decided to break the silence first.  
  
‘What happ-’  
  
‘I have somethings to ask you EJ. And I want you to tell me the truth for once in your f*cking life.’ You cut his words in half, unfolding yourself and messily standing on your own two feet proudly.  
  
He remained totally silent, but under your piercing gaze and after some time, he eventually nodded wordlessly.  
  
‘This is your source of food, isn’t it?’ even to yourself, your voice was alien and ice cold.  
  
He nodded ‘Yes.’  
  
You pressed your lips together ‘Is this what you do to your victims? You rob them from their organs in order to feed yourself?’  
  
‘Yes. That is what I do, from the moment I remember myself. I am no human and nor did I want you to believe that I was one. I was clear towards you from the beginning; I am a monster.’ his voice was equally even, yet it didn’t hold on to any coldness, but something else….worry?  
  
You swallowed hard and inhaled for the dreaded question, all the oxygen turning into courage to help you take that one step ‘Is that what you’ll do to me after I die EJ? You will take my organs to feed yourself?’  
  
The question hung among you like a demon that wanted to prey on your very own souls. EJ’s posture stiffened, until he remained completely still and you were pretty able to hear your own heart pounding hard inside your ears, sending sheer pain to resonate through your system, unable to cope with the stress and mental pain you were feeling right now, turning it into physical pain. EJ seemed to notice that, since his head perked up on the muffled sound and he took a few hesitant steps towards you, tightening and relaxing his fists, that were curled up into balls with either determination or anger; you couldn’t tell right now, since your own anger was fueling you up; why didn’t he tell you the f*cking truth for just once. The man that was now staring at you was no human, yes; you had realized that on your own…. But nothing was quite like the realization that he was a cannibal as well, killing humans to literally feed himself. You didn’t know how to cope with this.  
  
‘I am not going to hurt you ______.’ His determination dripped down from each of his words like liquid metal; he meant it all the way, you could tell.  
  
‘Then what am I to you? And don’t tell me that you kept me because you were just feeling lonely. Why did you keep me EJ?’  
  
‘Because I. am. lonely.!’ came the furious response from his side and he took another step towards you ‘I am f*cking lonely and your presence seems to take it all away. That is the truth and the truth alone. When you sing, your voice sounds so familiar that manages to chase away my madness _____. Because I am the most deadly and insane person you will ever meet, but your voice and more importantly, your presence changes all that. I have encountered and killed so many people, so many humans, but you are the only one that I cannot. You sound so familiar that I cannot find the will to kill you, even if I want to. And be reassured when I tell you this, I want to kill you all day long. Yet I cannot. Now, do me the favor of explaining me, why in all possibilities, you are so special.’  
  
New tears dripped down your face as you nodded ‘I cannot explain that EJ. I honestly don’t f*cking know.’  
  
Now it was you that took a few steps, covering the distance between the two of you and doing something that you knew you would curse yourself about the next morning. You do the most insane thing a person can do to a killer that is standing right in front of him; you place your hands on his cheeks- well, were his cheeks are under the cold mask. The black substance that was dripping down from his eye sockets burned you a bit as you wiped it away, yet you didn’t mind it at all. Right now, it only seemed appropriate to do this simple move, even if it turned out badly. The man stiffened under your touch, but did no movement to withdraw himself.  
  
‘You wanna know the weirdest of things?’ you give him a weary smile ‘For the past weeks that we are around each other, I realized that you remind me of my friend Jack a lot; the same height, same hair color. Same victims of loneliness and hurt. Funny right? I am no people reader –neither a monster reader- but I can see pain when I encounter it.’  
  
He didn’t say anything, so you continued on.  
  
‘You will call me crazy, but it’s okay if you take my organs; hell, even I feel crazy uttering it aloud. But this way, I will assist you one last time even after I am gone. Don’t be alone EJ; it is one hell of a long time and being alone doesn’t help.’  
  
This time, he gently wrapped his gloved hands around your wrists, never removing them from his face ‘I do not wish to kill you _____.’  
  
‘I know you don’t. But you have to; this is the deal.’  
  
‘Of course… the deal.’ You were sure that if he had eyes, he would roll them.  
  
‘Now, why don’t you let me see your face huh? No need to hide under the mask.’ You gently coo and reach out to the edges of his mask, ready to pull it, but before you even realize it, he yanks your hands away taking a sharp step back to place himself out of your reach, nodding negatively.  
  
‘Never try to remove my mask ______. Never. again. try.’ His voice was nothing more than a low, threatening hiss and his fingers flex in a way that made you realize he was about to wrap them around your neck, yet struggling with himself not to.  
  
You smiled a sad smile ‘I won’t.’ you reassure him ‘And I am really crazy you know. I now know I am.’ You shrug ‘Cause I accept you for who you are. For the cannibalistic killer. It’s okay with me and I explain it to myself as reality and myths colliding with each other. That’s the only explanation I can give.’  
  
You smile yet again ‘Goodnight EJ.’ You say and walk out of the room, leaving the man to his own thoughts.  
  
Nothing had prepared you though for what future had in store for you in the next days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song you were singing was Once Upon A Dream by Lana Del Rey.


	20. Chapter 20 Disintegrating World

‘Can you please grab something for me to eat? I’m starving over here.’ ______’s voice was betraying her grumpiness clearly and the rolling of her (e/c) eyes only served to highlight her boredom as she threw her book aside and rose on her own feet clumsily, walking over to the bookshelf that was closer to her. The female had been reading all day long, books with a rich variety of themes, coming from EJ’s very own bookshelves. From what EJ had observed about her in all the days they had spend together –which now reached almost a month-, she really wasn’t the one to nag about things and was satisfied easily with some books, coming in complete contrast with what the male had read about the human female gender in books and from all of his encounters with other female Creepypasta; he never failed to notice though, that the few times she did complain, it was usually time for him to feed her.  
  
‘Would you be content with some bread and cheese?’ he asked, vision never straying from his medical book, even if he barely even registered what he read on the fifteenth line; he was studying his medical books for a few days now, trying to find out clues that would eventually lead him to discover her condition and treat it accordingly, yet all of his attempts seemed to be futile.  
  
Even if he didn’t see it, his hunter senses felt her eyes focusing on him ‘If you promise not to put any lettuce in like yesterday. God, it was awful.’ She commented.  
  
‘You should ingest vitamins that are contained in vegetables as well, if you want to avoid serious illnesses.’ He simply commented, setting his book to the side and looking over at her, only to see her rolling her eyes once again.  
  
‘I already have an illness EJ; at least feed me properly.’  
  
‘That is what I am trying to accomplish, but you do not follow it.’ He smirked under his mask, knowing that she was unable to see it; in fact, he seemed to do that a lot lately, usually after clever remarks that he knew bothered her but at the same time she couldn’t do anything about it, since it was as clear as his murderous nature, that he was right about them. He kind of enjoyed messing with her mind just a little a bit, never straying from his part of the deal in not hurting her of course; through the course of the years, he had seen many of the Creepypasta doing that –mostly Jeff the Killer and Ticci Toby- in a more ruthless way, yet until he came across ______, he never understood why they found the need to do so; something that was pretty clear every time he gazed upon your pouting and clearly annoyed face.  
  
But, there is no time to waste on that right now, since you will only become more nagging with the passing minutes.  
  
‘I will be back shortly, make sure to behave yourself.’ He warned her, not that she had given him any reason to do so lately.  
  
‘Yes master.’ you gibed him.  
  
If he continued to have eyes, he would have probably rolled them in the sound of her little ‘nickname’. But just like he reacted in various other remarks of hers, he downright ignored them, throwing his feet to the side and raising himself up, making sure that his mask was properly on and his scalpel was resting lazily inside his hoodie pocket, before walking to the door and grabbing the key carefully with his gloved hand. Turning his head to the side, he made sure that both _____ was once again absorbed in her book as well as that no sound of footsteps or breathing came from the corridor that spread beyond his door; no sound whatsoever.  
  
Perfect.  
  
Unlocking, he was quick to pass through and close the door behind him, locking it and stuffing the key inside his pocket, gazing up and down the dark corridor, just in case that someone was watching him. Even if years had passed from the very first time he set his foot inside this particular mansion and even if he had clearly stated that no one was to trespass his territory –correction: room and lab- without his permission, some of the residents still failed to respect it from time to time, making his otherwise calm demeanor change to a violent one in the blink of an eye. Privacy was something rare and loose inside this house, but since he was given his own room, only the Master was allowed to come in without permission.  
  
Stuffing his hands inside his pockets, he started walking towards the staircase on the left, his footsteps stealthy and steady, just like a trained predator’s. The more the cannibalistic man distanced himself from his room, the more his senses heightened and reached their ends, taking in his surroundings all at once and giving him the feeling that even the walls had eyes that stared down on him, watching and calculating his every move; that was a feeling that always lurked around inside this house, whose murderous residents were always a significant threat even when they were relaxing. EJ wondered when was the last time he felt uneasy around the house, but his sharp brain seemed to be unable to think of the time, clearly connecting these feelings with the arrival of the girl; it was as clear as the moonlit sky that when he was with her, his guard and insanity seemed to lower and back away, making him relax and calm down a bit, especially now that ______ seemed to sing every single day. The effects that her voice had on him were still strong and right now, he could safely say that he was the master of his insane part and not the other way around.  
  
That was what made the girl even more valuable.  
  
Turning on the right, he went down the stairs, passed the front door and followed the small hallway on the left that led to the kitchen. Thankfully for now, the house seemed to be completely empty, except from a familiar elfish boy that sat right in front of the huge TV which decorated the living room, controller at hand; Ben hadn’t even noticed EJ passing by, completely engulfed in his game, much to the eyeless man’s relief. He couldn’t leave ______ alone for too long anymore; not because he thought she would escape, but because he wasn’t sure about the rest of the residents. Once he walked inside the kitchen, the first thing he noticed was the clear moonlight that was coming through the vast windows, bouncing off the surface of the freshly fallen snow and creating the illusion of an illuminated night; after almost a week, the intense blizzard subsided and nature seemed to calm down once again. Alas, he didn’t have too much time in his disposal.  
  
Grabbing a few slices of bread, he proceeded to stuff them inside his pockets, making sure that they were enough for the girl, before opening the fridge and taking some cheese for her as well; his hand paused over a fresh looking lettuce, debating whether to force-feed it to her or to hide it inside the bread and trick her into eating it. Not today, she seemed to be in a good mood, so why spoil it?  
  
He was about to drop his hand and close the fridge, when his acute senses picked up a presence lurking behind him, a second before a gruff voice spoke from the corner of the room.  
  
‘And here I was, thinking you only ate f*cking guts and sh!t.’  
  
EJ dropped his hand and closed the fridge, pressing his lips together in dismay, the same time that his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance under his mask ‘What do you want Jeff?’ his voice was ice-cold and betrayed nothing that could be loosely considered an emotion whatsoever.  
  
The burned, deranged killer was standing on the threshold of the kitchen, gazing upon the eyeless man with a small smirk plastered on his horridly scarred face, making his smile seem bigger if that was ever possible, while his lidless eyes flashed with nothing but malice and his hands were carefully folded on his chest.  
  
‘Simply to find out what the f*ck you want from the supplies. It’s not every day that a cannibal tries the normal sh!t.’ his voice was dripping with irony, but EJ didn’t have the time to argue with the man he considered close to something along the lines of a friend.  
  
Instead of dignifying his words with a response, EJ stuffed the rest of the cheese inside his pockets, eyeless stare nailed on the other man whose already non-existing patience was running thin by the lack of a response with every passing second. EJ knew the man all too well to know perfectly well that since his attention was averted to the eyeless man’s movements, he had noticed them long ago and would not drop the matter without discovering the truth or at least a satisfying reason for his actions; you didn’t need to know the man too well to analyze him and figure out that his obsessive nature once gaining focus, never averted from his target; it was that single fact that made him a dangerous opponent. Not for EJ though. But for now, since he couldn’t risk a full-out quarrel with Jeff that could pose a threat to _____’s secret residence inside the mansion, the eyeless man eventually sighed.  
  
‘I am conducting an experiment with the food to see if my organism can in fact absorb it.’  
  
Jeff’s eyes only narrowed more ‘Is that f*cking so? You decided to change your damn ways now that it’s already late?’  
  
‘It is an experiment.’  
  
‘Bullsh!t.’  
  
‘I do not have a reason to justify my actions to you Jeff. You are not Master; you are merely just a killer, like the rest of us.’ EJ’s words were cold and ruthless towards the lidless man’s pride, who liked to believe he was better than the rest, even if that was never proven.  
  
The words immediately triggered an angry reaction to the man, who straightened his back and took a threatening step towards the other male, his black eyes lightening up with a hellish red tint ‘If I f*ck you up and beat you senseless, would that prove the f*cking fact that you ain’t no match for me you d!psh!t?’  
  
This was when EJ’s own pride decided to kick in ‘I would like to see your pathetic attempts to do so _Jeffery_.’ He almost snarled, standing his own ground.  
  
‘Both of you cut the racket immediately.’ A third voice was heard and both killers averted their gaze to the small second door of the kitchen that lead to the living room, only to see none other than the Head Proxy enter ‘There is no time for your pathetic fights right now, we have a problem.’ Masky folded his hands over his chest, his white mask turning to gaze at both killers, his penetrating gaze hidden under the shadows.  
  
At the sight of him, Jeff immediately loosened his posture and obtained a sour expression, like he had just been interrupted from something great; if it was ever possible, he would be frowning. From his own point of view, EJ let out a small sigh, feeling his insanity backing away inside the shadows of his mind once again; both killers knew very well, that it would be foolish of them to fight in front of the Head Proxy, much less when he informed them that they were having a problem. Behind Masky, Hoody made his silent appear, following close behind his comrade and never uttering a word.  
  
‘What the f*ck is it now?’ Jeff growled, raising his hands on the sides and rolling his eyes.  
  
Masky downright ignored the obnoxious man and turned his attention solely to EJ ‘Eyeless, Master has ordered for you to follow us. There’s been an accident were a Proxy was injured and we need your help.’  
  
‘I will collect my things and follow you. Which Proxy was it?’ EJ replied evenly; stuff like that were everyday occurrences with the Proxies and killers as well and since he was the only one close to what would consider being a doctor, he was always required to assist.  
  
‘Kate The Chaser.’ Masky simply replied.  
  
EJ nodded, turning his back and starting walking towards the exit, but as the man passed by Jeff, his senses never failed to hear what the man whispered almost under his breath.  
  
‘My advice is for you to hear music in a lower volume, f*cker.’ The grin was obvious in his voice ‘But I won’t f*cking lie, the chick that sings, is too damn good. I’m curious why I haven’t found out who she is yet, no matter how much I searched on Youtube.’  
  
If it was anyone else, on the sound of that particular remark and the thought that the said girl was currently living inside his own room, he would have paused and betrayed his secret to the eyes of the watchful killer; but EJ was not that kind of a man to be toyed around by simple remarks that he knew perfectly well that they were a bluff, so no matter the words, he downright ignored them as he walked by, never seizing or even halting his movements even for a split second, acting like nothing was going on; it was true and with no questions that the beast that took residence inside his mind growled like a true demon towards the unblinking killer, but he was not going to let it show. Thus, he walked out of the kitchen and back towards his own room, his thoughts revolving around the fact that he would have to leave you alone yet again, something that he found himself unwilling to do; still he had no choice. The saddest part of them all, was that he would have to make you stop singing from now on, in case someone did hear you and Jeff wasn’t bluffing, like EJ’s mind accepted as a true fact.  
  
Unlocking the door once again and passing inside his room, he found you sitting on your own mattress and reading from a very heavy book. The moment the man walked inside, your curious eyes nailed themselves on his form, as you watched him lock the door and proceed to leave the goodies he brought you on his bed. Your stomach growled impatiently and with a large smile, you picked yourself up and went to grab them, only to see EJ walking inside his lab, throwing a bag on the medical bed and proceeding to stuff various medical instruments inside, as you took a bite from the freshly baked bread, smiling like a goof to yourself.  
  
‘Where are you going?’ you asked, mouth still full from the food.  
  
At first he remained silent and you waited patiently for him, only to be rewarded a few moments later ‘I need to attend some urgent matters, so I will be off immediately.’  
  
_Oh, serious much?_ ‘And when are you going to be back?’  
  
‘Probably around morning. In the mean time, try to make as little noise as possible while I am gone.’ He replied evenly, zipping up the bag and throwing it over his shoulder.  
  
If his whole attitude wasn’t weird, then you didn’t know what was; your eyebrow raised itself in question as you looked at him storming out of the lab and making sure for probably the millionth time today, that his mask was properly placed. He seemed to have that unconscious need to keep it there and he didn’t take it off even when he was sleeping. Still, from his whole body posture, you could clearly see that the man was on edge, for reasons that you were oblivious too and no matter how much he tried to hide it, all the days you passed together had trained your eye to pick his moods up immediately.  
  
‘I’ll be quiet, no worries. Good luck with…um….the matters.’ You offered him a small smile.  
  
‘Stay inside the room, whatever happens.’ He said and before you really had the chance to answer him, he had already stormed out of the room.  
  
Well, let’s just say that if you were part of an anime series, a huge question mark would have appeared over your head, to betray your sheer confusion. It was usual for the eyeless man to leave some things unexplained to you, probably because he decided that they were too revealing for you to know either about his kind or himself, but in the whole month that you had been in here, he never left without explaining clearly what the situation was about, even when he went out to do his… ‘hobby’. So, it was only natural for you to be alerted about his strange behavior; don’t get yourself wrong, EJ was a man of many quirks and strange habits that were all mixed up in his personality, making him a difficult to read man –and not because he didn’t have eyes or his face was hidden- but after all this time, it was easier for you to read him and understand him more. The revelation of his eating habits helped tremendously as well.  
  
Still, you knew that there was no point in pondering on what preoccupied the man’s mind alone and you made a mental note for yourself to ask him once he was back. One thing that bothered you though, was his warning… Why did he specifically warn you to be as quiet as possible? Eh, you will ask him in the morning once he is back and all the books that are stored in the bookshelves will surely keep you as quiet as they will keep you occupied.  
  
It was not a strange thing for the eyeless man with the exceptional love toward medicine and everything that had to do with the human anatomy –or anatomy in general- to have many books in his library, but boy oh boy were you surprised when you saw the variety of the said books. Yes, he did have quite a few that could easily belong to any major encyclopedias, but among these ones were others that you deemed to be true gems; like books from Stephen King, Bukowski, Dostoevsky, Kafka and many many other great writers. The fact that made the presence of these kinds of books strange was the fact that they belonged to a deranged, psychotic, extremely dangerous killer. From what you were raised to believe, killer were unable even to communicate with others, much less read the golden books of poetry and literature, yet here was EJ once again to prove you wrong. Fascinating, absolutely fascinating discovery and even when you did ask him about it, he just waved it off with a casual shrug. Maybe there are more to this man, to killers in general, that meet the eye. Any other day, you would have accused yourself for finally going mad, losing your mind completely, but right now, it was a blissful discovery of rare importance. Maybe you did go mad in the end…  
  
‘ _T_ _here is a loneliness in this world so great_ _, that you can see it in the slow movement of the hands of a clock. People so tired, mutilated, either by love or no love. People just are not good to each other one on one. The rich are not good to the rich; the poor are not good to the poor. We are afraid. Our educational system tells us that we can all be big-ass winners. It hasn't told us about the gutters or the suicides. Or the terror of one person aching in one place alone, untouched, unspoken to, watering a plant._ ’   
  
Bukowski’s book came to an end, leaving you with a sweet yet sorrowful feeling emanating from the depths of your heart, the pain almost advancing into a physical level as you gently closed the book, too careful with your movements as if it was about to turn into dust on the slightest breeze, and you held it closely against your chest, cherishing all the things that it had taught you with a faint smile on your face. It was a feeling you had every time you finished a book- like the best part of your life was over you were once again pulled back into reality, carrying it along with you inside your very own broken heart. Looking around you, you realize just then that the night had advanced all the time you were reading, hunched over the book and dreaming of faraway lands and people that lived by its rules; you had long ago ate all the food EJ brought you and by a brief gaze on the clock, you realized that there were just a few hours dividing you from EJ’s return. Still, you felt nothing along the lines of tiredness, so throwing your feet to the side, you decide to grab another book.  
  
As you walk towards them, your gaze falls briefly to the window, your eyes gazing at the stunning scenery that spread until the eye could see; the almost black trees were covered by thick layers of snow, giving them a fairytale aura that was only enhanced by the bright moon that was shining high up on the firmament, sharing its light with the otherwise dark night that appeared cold and dangerous. EJ must be walking around inside those dreadful trees and who knows what may lurk inside; thankfully, you were protected inside the house and EJ was perfectly able to keep himself safe. Sighing, you avert your gaze back at the books, deciding which one you would read first.  
  
All of them seemed promising, but were too big for a light read until the morning, so at first you were kind of hesitant to pick up the ones with the interesting titles; all that, until your eyes fell on a particular orange cover. The color and texture of the book seemed oddly familiar, so reaching out for it, you took it in your hands, flipping it over to read the title, which was written in gold letters. The moment your brain analyzes the words, you smile to yourself recognizing the book immediately; it was _This Side Of Paradise_ by Scott Fitzgerald. Opening it, you start to shuffle mindlessly through the pages, a large smile appearing on your lips; well look at that! This book was one of Jack’s favorites, how odd to find it on EJ’s library! You had actually bought Jack one for his birthday once, which was exactly like this one and your best friend was ecstatic to see it. Hmmm, which was his favorite quote again? Oh yeah….  
  
… _They slipped briskly into an intimacy from which they never recovered…_  
  
The memories of a happier time, when Jack was still by your side and the toughest decision you had to make was whether to choose chocolate flavored cookies or vanilla ones flooded your mind, filling the empty spaces of your mind with the sound of Jack’s laughter, his bright eyes and kind smile that always seemed to brighten your day up. The promises, the stories, the dreams the both of you had, until reality came and took them all away, just like it always seemed to do with your hopes and dreams, leaving you an empty shell to await for the death EJ would be so kind to bestow upon you after a while. You wonder though, did EJ really have no one to spend the rest of his existence with?  
  
So engulfed you were inside your own thoughts, that you almost missed a single piece of paper protruding from one of the pages; your brain halted and you returned to where you found it, curiosity taking the best of you as your fingers gently located the piece of paper and took it on them. It appeared to be the back of a photo. Strange…did EJ place it here? You wondered as you flipped it over to see who it had captured. And as you did, you froze.  
  
The distant sound of something falling hard on the floor reached your ears, but you were unable to register what it was.  
  
To be honest, the only thing you could hear right now, was your own heartbeat that picked up its pace unwillingly.  
  
Then, there were the alarms that went off inside your mind.  
  
And your hand flew to cover your mouth, to prevent your from uttering a single word.  
  
The hand that was holding the photo trembled a bit….  
  
Then realization hit you like a brick wall, the moment you realized what you were looking at.  
  
In this single piece of paper, two people were sitting and posing for the camera, a bright smile and a kind one gracing the photo; a male and a female sitting inside a very familiar cave, the natural light coming from the forest on their left illuminating their faces as they both leaned on one another, with the girl resting her hand on the boy’s shoulder and the boy trying not to mind this kind of gesture. In your eyes, the girl was unfamiliar at first, for the split second that your brain refused to link it with the extremely thin and aged girl that you had met inside the mental clinic; this was Jenny –a healthier, saner looking Jenny- as she must have been before her whole ordeal started four years ago, before the murders and the disappearance happened. And right beside her, looking uncomfortable as always, sat Jack. Right beside her, on the same cave that the murders happened, on the same photograph that you found inside EJ’s own library, was your very own best friend Jack.  
  
In the sight of his bright blue eyes, his messy auburn hair and his lean figure, tears start to bubble on the edges of your eyes, proceeding to cascade your cheeks immediately and a violent sob reverberates from the depths of your chest, triggering the shots of pain that your broken heart graced you with every time you lost control of your emotions. But how on earth were you expected to keep them inside, the moment you were looking at your best friend in a picture that was taken maybe a few days before he was last seen in the face of the Earth? How were you expected not to react when you saw him even after so many years? Your poor, poor Jack! Your fragile little Jack-boy, who was tricked and led towards his own death, sitting beside the girl that might have led him to it? How could you not break down and cry like the little girl you used to be when you found his picture in one of the murderer’s books? HOW COULD YOU NOT BE ANGRY WHEN THE PICTURE OF YOUR FRIEND WAS FOUND IN EJ’S THE MURDERER’S POSSESIONS? HOW COULD YOU NOT CONNECT ALL THE CLUES INSIDE YOUR MIND, THAT WAS CURRENTLY THROWN INTO A WHIRLWIND OF PAIN AND PURE, MENACING AND POISONING ANGER?!  
  
Your whole world crumbled.  
  
Your whole world disintegrated.  
  
There was nothing but anger.  
  
The fragile trust that you had build over the passage of time for the eyeless killer was shortly brushed away from the sheer anger you felt for his lies. For his inability to speak straight; for his inability to take the responsibility of your friends death. FOR THE COWARDNESS HE SHOWED, FOR THE LIES HE TOLD, FOR MISLEADING AND PLAYING WITH YOUR MIND IN ORDER TO SATISFY HIS OWN NEEDS! HOW WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO SYMPATHIZE WITH A MAN LIKE THAT? HOW WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO KEEP HIM COMPANY, HOW WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE HIM WHEN HE SPOKE? HE WAS A LIAR! A L.I.A.R! HE ABUSED YOU AND MISLEAD YOU, TRYING TO USE YOU TO HIS OWN BENEFIT! AND HE WILL PAY! YOU ARE NOW CERTAIN THAT HE WAS THE ONE TO KILL JACK AND HE IS GOING TO PAY! WITH HIS OWN LIFE! YOU WILL KILL HIM, EVEN IF THIS IS THE LAST THING YOU WILL EVER DO IN YOUR LIFE! THE. F*CKER. WILL. PAY.!  
  
You open your mouth to scream your lungs out from the sheer anger, but a hard knock on the door interrupts you.  
  
Someone banged on it hard.  
  
‘EJ, you f*cker, are you in?’ a gruff voice that you failed to recognize came from the door.  
  
No matter how angry and frustrated you were right now, your sanity ready to take that last step and enter the veil of insanity and malice, you found yourself still vaguely aware of the dangers that might cost you your life before you had the chance to kill EJ; and the one knocking on the door was a part of them. Your whole body froze and your heart pounded hard inside your chest, seemingly ready to fall of your chest, at the same time that your senses reached their limits, trying to keep you as quiet as possible; your eyes were nailed on the simple piece of wood that divided you from the unknown man, like it was about to dissolve into dust and reveal your presence to him. You stood completely still, like if you moved, he would detect you, but the only thing you heard was a loud, annoyed sigh and the sound of keys hitting with one another.  
  
At first your overworking brain failed to realize it, but then it dawned to you.  
  
He was coming inside!  
  
You had to hide!  
  
NOW!  
  
Looking around you desperately, panic clouds each and every one of your thoughts like a silver mist, turning your brain completely numb as you realize from the sound of the key inserting itself inside the lock, that you barely had the time to run to the lab and lock the door. Sh!t, there is no time to do that! What else you can do? Think! THINK! What else can you do?! Panic won’t help you now, but holy mother of God what the hell can you……. UNDER THE F*CKING BED!  
  
Without giving it much thought, you immediately drop to your knees and lay down on the floor, crawling your way under the bed, moving to the side various unidentified stuff that you didn’t even want to identify in the first place and managing to hide yourself just as the door opened wide and a pair of black combat boots walked inside. Your immense love for horror movies had always made you wonder what you would have done in these kinds of situations, but never had you ever thought that you would actually find yourself in one of those; your heart pounded loudly inside your chest and your breathing came out rugged, until you threw both hands over your nose and lips, trying to be as quiet as possible; this little thing would be what would keep you alive or kill you eventually and you were not going down just yet. To your complete surprise, you were still holding on to the photograph of Jack and Jenny with your right hand, unconsciously taking it along with you, as the man wandered around the room, so slowly, that this was the real torture.  
  
His boots calculated each single step he took, just like a trained predator did when he stalked his potential prey, wondering around the room to trace any clues that would betray someone’s existence -other than EJ’s of course. It was obvious that he was looking for you –or at least for someone- since he kicked your mattress lightly and opened the lab door, checking to see if anyone was hidden in the other rooms as well; even if you couldn’t see him, you were sure that his eyes were scanning the whole place up, waiting to spot or hear anything that would betray that someone was still in here. Minutes passed so slowly, that you thought eons went by until the man walked out of the lab, leaving the door exactly as he had found it. He threw another gaze around the room –or at least you thought he did, since he stayed on the same spot for more than two minutes- and eventually walked back on the door and out of the room.  
  
You didn’t come out from under the bed, not even when you heard the lock turn.


	21. Chapter 21 Clash Of Victims

When the sound of the door unlocking was heard once again, your muscles and heart reacted all at the very same time, triggering all the horror and danger mechanisms that were lurking inside your mind: your heart started racing with a thousand miles per hour, worsening your condition and offering you plenty of pain to resonate from the depths of it, making you tighten your jaw in order not to scream out and fold in two, something that was only accompanied by your muscles that tightened unwillingly, making your brain turn off its safety alarms and make the little voice inside your head scream bloody murder. Your hand flew to cover your mouth and you once again remained perfectly still, wishing with all your soul not to be discovered by anyone.  
  
It had surely been a few hours from the moment the first man entered, yet it seemed like a true eternity had passed by, with you patiently hiding yourself in fear of being discovered; you were too lucky not to be found out under the bed actually, a location that was rather ironic to find yourself in and you would most probably laugh at yourself if the situation wasn’t so desperate; all in all, this was the most common hiding place for the protagonists in horror movies that did in fact manage to remain hidden, yet this was in no way a horror movie, but the most dangerous real life state that you found yourself in. And that was something that was also backed by your brain as well, who chose this moment to present to you all the possible ways that you might have been discovered and killed on spot. All the scenarios were flashing right in front of your eyes, since you couldn’t believe that the man didn’t notice where you might have been hiding; no one was that kind of stupid, really. So clutching the photograph of Jack and Jenny for dear life inside your hand, you decided to stay under there, with your heart racing and your breath coming out as rugged and quiet as possible and wait for the inevitable end that was unlocking the door at the moment and passing inside the small room.  
  
Black boots once again appeared standing at the threshold, yet they weren’t the same as the last time; they seemed a bit smaller than and not as heavy as the first. Whoever it was, he stepped inside the room, leaving the door wide open and remained at the very same spot, never making a single move; he was scanning the whole place up to find you, you were absolutely sure about it. You were a goner, you were sure about it.  
  
‘_______?’ an all too familiar voice sounded, barely above a whisper, with a tint of curiosity and terror hanging from the edges of its full sound.  
  
You almost sigh in relief; it was only EJ.  
  
 _‘…Close the door...’_ You whisper as silently as you can, sure that the male’s acute hearing abilities would pick the sound up.  
  
‘Where are you?’  
  
This was not the time to be curious for f*cks shake _‘…Close the goddamn f*cking door…’_  
  
Without questioning you any further, the tall male obliges and finally closes the door, the very same time that you use your elbows to finally crawl your way out of your hiding spot, but not until you were a hundred per cent sure that the door was safely locked. Fate had taught you that you couldn’t be too cautious inside this household, no matter what. The moment your head pokes from under the bed and you turn to meet with EJ’s eyeless gaze, it was deemed completely unnecessary for you to have to look upon the man in order to see his shoulders loosen and the surprise that penetrates him like a sharp arrow, filling his otherwise ominous aura. Thankfully, he rushes to help you up as fast as he can, grabbing you hard by the shoulders and helping you on your feet, before taking a step back and folding his hands over his sturdy chest, waiting patiently for your explanations and never seizing to look at you as you dusted yourself off with a low, un-amused grumble.  
  
‘Don’t you dare look at me like that.’ you almost growl at him, trying to remove the extra dust from your hair.  
  
‘It would be greatly appreciated if you explained to me the purpose of hiding under the bed. Have you finally embraced your lowly existence?’ his tone was even, but the traces of a poisonous humor were hidden beyond them.  
  
In response, you roll your eyes ‘Well, f*ck you dumb#ss!’ you lash out at him, finally loosing what was left of your thin patience ‘One of your buddies decided to walk in like he f*cking owned the place so I had to hide as fast as I could. So spare me the pain of your wanna-be-funny-but-am-a-failure humor!’ you shove him off, pure hatred and anger for his not so clever remark burning like hot lava inside your veins and echoing within the halls of your mind and you turn to walk over to your bed, only to feel a steely grip tighten around your arm and he yanks you back to face him.  
  
You attempt to yell at him, but once you open your mouth to do so, you clearly feel him turning into a true statue as you fail to maintain your balance and fall on his chest for a split second, before you replace your personal space among the both of you. When he speaks though, his voice is laced with ice and severity, like the very first time you met him.  
  
‘Someone came inside the room?!’ he growled, his voice sounding dual to your ears for a split second.  
  
‘Yes.’ You look him straight in the eye, determination numbing your brain against any fear, but in response, he only lets go of you and sighs wearily.  
  
‘You are lucky that you weren’t discovered, but I am going to lock you inside the lab from now on; it is the only place that you can be really safe.’ He comments and turning his sturdy back at you, walks away towards the said lab without saying anything else, completely ignoring your existence.  
  
And that was the moment that you remembered something.  
  
The picture on your hand.  
  
Right then is the moment you remember who the man that was standing right before you was; the man that took everything away from you; the man that imprisoned you, tortured you, messed with your head in the most severe and unspeakable way but all that paled in comparison with the worst of any possible things he could do to you; he killed – and probably ate as well- your best friend Jack. He ripped away his life and along with it, your happiness, or rather your only chance in living a happy life. He was the cause of all the suffering that pestered your life. And the picture on your hand wasn’t only the proof of his unspeakable actions, but also your only hope that maybe, just maybe, he would confess the truth to you for just once.  
  
Watching his figure walking up and down his lab, his back turned mindlessly towards you, he seemed completely oblivious to the war that was waging on inside your mind. Oh, how foolishly relaxed he was in your presence, something that wouldn’t stand if instead of holding the picture in your hand, you were clutching any kind of weapon. Oh, how happy you would be to see his last breath leaving his body and his cold, black blood pooling on the floor under his body. You would make sure that this was going to be the case, yet after you were done questioning him; for just once, your whole existence longed for the truth and afterwards, you would eliminate him even if you had to sell your soul for it.  
  
‘EJ I want to ask you a question and I want you to tell me the truth.’ you said, voice barely above a whisper, since you tried to control the waves of pure anger that resonated from within you.  
  
‘If it is going to be a stupid one, I am going to inject you with a sedative so I won’t have to hear you for the rest of the night.’ he casually said, pacing around the lab and placing many medical tools back to their original places.  
  
In the sound of his words you bite your lip hard, trying your best to focus and not lunge at him right then and there.  
  
‘Believe me, you have to hear this.’ you almost growl, but control it on the very last minute.  
  
‘Then go ahead, because I have better matters to attend to.’ he didn’t show any kind of interest at all, something that infuriated you to no ends.  
  
Out of its own volition, your hand jerks up holding the picture on the same height as your head, so it could be easily visible from the eyeless mans perspective ‘Care to explain to me what the f*ck is this?’’  
  
This was the only time that the man turned towards you as he spoke ‘That appears to be what you humans call a photograph.’  
  
‘And do you recognize who appears to be in this photograph?’ your foot was now tapping on the floor, signaling the beginning of the end for your patience.  
  
‘No, and I do not have any interest in finding out whatsoever.’ He responds indifferently.  
  
‘So you are telling me you don’t recognize either of them?’’  
  
‘Has your IQ officially failed you _____?’ He mocks you, worsening things even more.  
  
‘Respond to the simple question EJ.’  
  
‘I already did.’ he simply shrugs.  
  
‘Are you sure you’re telling me the truth?’’  
  
‘Why do you care?’  
  
‘TELL ME THE TRUTH FOR ONE SINGLE F*CKING TIME IN YOUR PATHETIC, LONELY LIFE! THIS MAN RIGHT THERE IS MY BEST FRIEND JACK AND I FOUND HIS PICTURE IN ONE OF YOUR BOOKS. WHY THE HELL IS HIS PICTURE INSIDE ONE OF YOUR BOOKS EJ?’’  
  
Total silence fell among the two of you. Now, you were totally sure that his attention was completely focused on you, as you could see his sturdy shoulders and lean body having turned completely rigid and motionless, as if he was a true statue that you were fiercely gazing upon. His navy blue mask had turned towards you and despite the lack of any eyes, you could still feel his gaze focused solely on you, as he was still holding some medical tools in his hands, further pointing out his lack of movement. From your side, your heart was pounding so loudly inside your chest, that your breath had quickened and the pain that resonated from within, revealed to you that a possible heart attack was on its way. You chose to ignore it completely nonetheless, ignoring the risks of what that may bring. You only wanted the truth and right now, it was the only thing that you would get.  
  
Finally you grew tired of waiting for a response from his side, so you covered the distance that divided the both of you and grabbing him from his shirt with your determined fist, you pull him down and almost glue the photograph on his mask, making sure he was looking at it.  
  
‘Do you see the two people in the photograph? The man’s name is Jack and he is my best friend; the one that I have been looking for all this time and the man that was probably killed ruthlessly. Next to him, the little b!tch’s name is Jenny and she is the one that probably led him to his death. Do you recognize any of them EJ? Because since I found this particular picture inside your books, it is only natural for me to realize that you know them. Both of them.’ You accuse him.  
  
The man’s hand wraps around your fist but never removes it, as he averts his gaze towards the photograph, saying nothing, but continuing to observe that little piece of paper that withheld more significance than the whole world around you.  
  
‘I just want to learn the truth EJ. I know you killed him! I know you f*cking did, so there is no way in lying to me right now! But please, tell me the truth, tell me what you did to him! I have the right to know!’ you scream, pounding on his chest with your fists hard, hurting yourself more than him, yet fighting away the waterfall of hot tears that threatened to cascade ‘Did you eat him? Did you torture him like you did to me? Did he beg you for his life?! HOW DID YOU MURDER HIM YOU MONSTER?! DID JENNY HELP YOU? DID YOU ENJOY EATING HIS ORGANS?! TELL ME!!!’  
  
For a split second, he remains completely silent, like he was so taken aback that he couldn’t speak. Yet as you are about to shake him harshly from his hoodie and get some kind of response out of him, you hear a sharp inhale of oxygen and once he speaks, his voice sounds like it is coming from beyond the grave.  
  
‘…This is Jack….Jack was murdered….’  
  
You swallow hard, a lump blocking your air pipes as you urge him to continue ‘Go o-on.’  
  
‘And this is….Jenny.’ he mumbles, more to himself than to you ‘Jenny is….’  
  
Suddenly he falls silent; no sound comes from either him nor anywhere near the both of you, as if the whole nature seized its noise to allow you to clearly hear what was going to be said next. Like the weight of the words spoken must be heard or else the world would fall apart. EJ takes the picture in his sturdy hand and looks at it, before raising his head and piercing you with his unseen own one as he utters…  
  
‘Hello Jenny.’  
  
At first, his words were too strange for you to comprehend; your brows furrowed in confusion and you glanced at him like he was some kind of alien, yet what followed next, brushed away anything else. You saw a sharp move made by his hand and a hard slap hit your cheek so hard, that everything around you blurred and you lost your balance, falling back on the floor, with your hands flying to cover the affected spot on your face which seemed to be throbbing due to the pain. A loud exclamation of surprise mixed with a good dose of pain shot up from your lungs and exited your lips, the very same moment that hot tears cascaded from the edges of your eyes and your whole body reflexively curled up into a ball. Unable to understand what got into the man, your brain struggles to understand as you barely register the fact that the man is coming closer to you, his every step calculated and threatening, like a panther that was ready to shred you into little pieces.  
  
_‘So we meet yet again Jenny.’_ He says, his voice sounding purely demonical _‘You have no idea how long I have been looking for your pathetic excuse of existence.’_  
  
By the time he finishes his sentence, he is already standing right in front of you, his tall figure towering well above your unprotected and squirming in pain self. You open your mouth to speak, to dare and utter a single word, but right then, his leg finds its way on your stomach.  
  
Everything happened in slow motion. His leg finds its way on your stomach, hitting you so hard, that a true fountain of blood is coughed up from your lungs, yet this seemed to be the least of your problems. Because as he hits you, your body detaches from its place on the lab floor and you feel a strong wave pushing you back and your body literally flies back, only to hit on the end of the wooden bed before collapsing on the floor. You choke on your own blood that comes out in currents from your injured insides and you try with all the might your soul and heart are giving you this fatal moment to move your body away from the killer’s reach, opening your mouth not to scream, but to reason with him, if that was ever possible.  
  
‘I….I’m…not Jenny!’ your words almost drown on the sea of blood that you cough up, trying to raise yourself from the ground that very moment and failing to do so as your hands are unable to sustain your weight.  
  
EJ continues to walk up to you, completely ignoring your words and to your complete horror, taking out his sharp scalpel that seems to shine in the faint light.  
  
_‘You really believed that you would fool me Jenny?... That you would be able to finish the job you started last time?.... You thought I would be as naïve as to be fooled by you twice?... No wonder you looked so familiar, though it took me awfully long to realize it was your pathetic, poisonous and worthless self…’_  
  
‘I’m not…Jen-ARGH!’ your sentence is cut in half when he grabs a fistful of your hair and pulls you up by them, bringing your face inches away from his own masked one, so close, that you were able to gaze through the haze of your tears and pain, right into the bottomless dark abyssal holes of where his eyes should have been. For a single moment, only one thought passes from your mind: how could you feel relaxed around a monster like this one? How could you feel okay with him? and also…. you were going to die. That was it.  
  
When he finally speaks, the only reaction that your brain graced you with was a bloodcurdling scream or pure terror.  
  
‘ _Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me.’_  
  
Your head came in hard contact with the wall on the side of the door; it was such a powerful collision, that two things happened. One, the wall managed to bend under the enormous pressure with which your head collided on it; it was surely no power that a human being could possess and secondly, your whole body relaxed and remained still, with your conscience loosely holding on to its existence; your hands fell on your sides and your legs turned into utter jello, the very same time that you could swear that your head made a terrifying cracking sound. This was the time that you finally gave up; this was the time that your brain begun to shut down. It didn’t matter that EJ had already proceeded with throwing you on the floor like a huge bag of bones and meat, nor did it matter that he started kicking and punching you and torturing you in any way possible, any way that he could muster up, your soul was too far away already.  
  
You were too far away. The huge forest of your conscience had started to crumble right in front of you like a true card tower and you were left unable to do the slightest thing in order to stop them, only watching as EJ continued on and the light of your soul had begun to wither away. This was the end of the line for you and this time, no miracles were going to save you; there was no way through the torture and towards salvation. Yet this raised the more important questions: did you really want to hold on? I mean, you were all alone, inside a world that was as alien as it was hostile towards you. No one was left here anymore that could provide you with happiness and the feeling of companionship; Jack was gone, your father was gone and you were slowly dying right from the very start. So why not hurry things up a bit and be done with it once and for all? What was the thing that was holding you here?  
  
The answer was provided to you in a split second, a single moment inside the eternity of time that was enough to reveal to you why you didn’t let go.  
  
Because as EJ took a step back in order to lunge the final kick that would kill you, he left his lower half completely unprotected, something that your dying brain decided it was the best opportunity to fight back, even if it did nothing. Your severely sprained leg shot up, the pain nonexistent for a breath-lasting second, and landed straight into the most sensitive spot of the killer, your jaw clenching as the foot hit with all the power you could muster up. The killer was caught by surprise and a loud half-angry, half-pained scream left his lips, as his hands flew to cover the affected area. It was at this time that you realized why you hadn’t died yet: you wanted to survive. The urge for survival was so strong inside of you, maybe because you weren’t ready to go yet or maybe because you were too ready for death that your whole body reacted against it.  
  
Like now.  
  
Like right now that your brain screamed bloody murder and urged you to get up, to get the f*ck up and find a shelter. If you had to describe the feeling, you would probably say that it was as if you were set ablaze and hit by a racing truck all at the same time; like you were a mere bag of broken bones that still managed to pick its weight up and race towards the lab door, kicking the kneeling killer straight in the face when he tried to stop you, earning you angry, animalistic growls. All that you had to do was lock yourself up inside the lab; after that, you would be free to decide what you would do, but right now, you had to get away from the deranged killer.  
  
‘GET BACK HERE!’ EJ screamed and lunged against you, but you were already grabbing the door by its hinges and pushing it to close, as you screamed on top of your lungs from the sheer pressure that you applied to your limits. The choice was to either close it or die in EJ’s hands. And frankly, you chose the latter.  
  
‘F*CK YOU!’ you screamed once the door shut and you turned the key on the lock, finally offering yourself a temporary shelter.  
  
‘I WILL GET YOU JENNY! YOU CANNOT HIDE FOR LONG. DEATH WILL BE QUICK IN COMING FOR YOU!’


	22. Chapter 22 What Happened To You

It was a quarter past two in the evening.   
  
The hands of the clock continued to point on the time that was ticking by you and the silence was such a deafening one, that you did not know what to expect. Surely, in a house filled with killers, it meant nothing good and with a psychotic and hallucinating killer lurking right outside these thin walls, it was surely a situation where you found yourself unable to relax and think clearly for a single second of the time. What if fourteen hours had passed from the moment you entered here? EJ had only five hours that he finally stopped trying to get into the lab, either by inserting various keys or even trying to take the door down by force. Thankfully, the sturdy stature of the door didn’t give in under his immense strength and it kept you as safe as a mouse that is cornered by its predators and has no possible ways out.  
  
And time was only there to remind you that there was nowhere for you to go.  
  
When you pulled that door shut, at that time, it appeared to be somehow the right decision; it was surely what put an end to the heavy beating that you were enduring by that time and your brain analyzed this option as a good one at the time. Now, all these hours after, you came to think that you had practically trapped yourself. The moment you made sure that the bolts were pulled closed, you had immediately passed out from the severe blood loss and the resonating pain that was shooting up from the depths of your chest; at that time, your last thought was that maybe, just maybe, you were having the very last heart attack that would mark the end of your existence. Indeed, for a brisk moment that seemed to last for an eternity, the pain was take away and your body was relieved from the pain; but nothing in your life was easy, so why would death come like that?  
  
You did wake up once again. You did wake up inside a pool of your very own blood, with the ruby liquid having conquered a nice big circle around you, painting the marble white floor tiles with its breathtaking color and making the whole place give off a rich aroma of salt mixed with rust and chlorine. For a few seconds, you looked around you curiously, failing to recognize where you were and what were you doing there; the pain was somehow gone, so that was that; yet when a heavy beating echoed and an angry, almost hellish, growl accompanied it, it was the signal that your tired and abused brain needed in order to start working once again. Everything that had happened in the last few hours flashed like a true movie right in front of your eyes and you were immediately set into motion. EJ was trying to pound his way inside the lab, with the man’s lethal fists leaving bend marks on the steel door, making it look like Swiss cheese; thankfully for you though, other than the dents, the door continued to provide a sure boundary between the two of you. Still he continued to call out for Jenny –you as it seemed- and swear loudly, but none of these things fell under your acknowledgement; you just plainly ignored him, since you had more urgent matters to attend to.  
  
Like your own health.  
  
From one side of the coin, you might have trapped yourself, but you were inside a lab and that gave you the advantage you needed in order to allow yourself to heal as far as it was possible; and maybe attempts to have a noble death, but that was something to think afterwards. Running a quick check over your body, three things revealed themselves to you right away: first and foremost, you had lost lots of blood and in order to try anything, you would have to replenish it. How? Let’s hope that the eyeless doctor had a small stash of blood. Either his or his victims’. Secondly, your right hand was in a very odd angle and the skin that surrounded the wrist had acquired an ominous-looking purple-bluish color; you just hoped that it wasn’t broken. And third, out of a sure miracle, your legs appeared to be untouched, other than a few severe bruises here and there; they weren’t broken or sprained. Perfect; if you chose to run, you would be able to use them freely, so that is a sure plus for you.  
  
With a new determination coursing through your veins –mostly because you were able to think clearly and calmly away from the killer- you got down on business. You treated your bruises, discovered some blood-bags filled with EJ’s abyssal black blood and proceeded with connecting them both on the veins of your right hand for a quick transfusion, you discovered quite a few of your ribs broken and attempted in treating your right wrist that upon closer inspection, was indeed broken; well, not everything would go well. Coming up with a small cast of your own, you made sure that it was safely wrapped, before rummaging through the cabinets for some painkillers and heart pills. Popping a cocktail of them both, you sat on a chair and tried to think of a possible way out, while waiting for the pills to take effect.  
  
Let’s just say that by being on the third floor of a house filled with killers and with one of them waiting for the time you would pass this single door and he would be finally able to shred you to little pony pieces to decorate his room with, your chances of escaping… wait…. _surviving_ were pretty slim to begin with. That and the fact that the only accessible window was the bathroom window, from which if you squeezed hard enough, you would be able to fit only your right hand through, proved that you were out of options; no doors, no windows and no escape way existed and the realization that you were doomed, dawned to you before you even had the chance to think things through. But one thing was for sure: you were absolutely NOT going to end things the noble way, not even with all those pills surrounding you. You would fight and if it was destined for you to die, you would take that mother*cker down with you. And all the medicine that surrounded you would serve to help you take him down, rather than end things quickly.  
  
These were the thoughts that finally put your brain into motion.  
  
As quickly and silently as you could, you stood up and started rummaging through the cabinets yet again; this time, you didn’t just look for any painkillers or anesthetics; you were practically collecting them all together, along with every single syringe that you could get your hands on. All this time, your brain was working on the possible plan that could be your only chance in survival, thinking it through again and again, trying to prepare you for any possible case scenario. But what was the plan? To walk out of this damn door of course. Madness? Yes, yes it is, but right now, it’s the only way for you. Pressing your lips tightly together, you raise the syringe and the anesthetic bottle in the air as you fill the first tool, thinking that before anything else, you would have to face EJ and that was what you dreaded the most. Like, let’s be honest here, you were more than simply sure that the eyeless serial killer with the strange appetite for human organs was not on your league; it was clearer than your broken heart that the man was in no way human, so there was absolutely no possible way for you to kill him. Even believing something like that was a sure sign of madness. No, you wouldn’t kill him.  
  
You would sedate him.  
  
Like a monstrous beast that cannot be slayed, you would at least attempt to knock him out for just a few hours, providing yourself with enough time to run away by breaking that goddamn window in his room. And if experience taught you something, it was that he wouldn’t fall with a single syringe and of course, that he wouldn’t nicely offer his veins for you to inject him. So filling your pockets with all the syringes that you managed to find, you remove the tubes that provided you with his blood and you rise decisively on your own two feet. This was it. It was either now, or never.  
  
Your gaze fixes instantly upon the metal door and you walk towards it in total silence, like you were the monster that stalked its prey in order to hear every single sound that might resonate from either around you or the room next door; every little creak, every little sound you would be able to hear it, not because your senses were heightened, but because the silence that prevailed all around was a dead-like one. Resting your ear on the metal, you stay still and manage to calm your heart and breathing, so that you would make sure that no one was on the next room; where EJ was, or whether or not he was in the room, you didn’t know at all, but just to be sure, your left hand tightened with sheer power around the syringe, seemingly holding on for dear life. Your heart pounded loudly inside your chest, with the pain of her condition being numbed from all the pills that you had taken; it was for the best and you couldn’t risk having a heart attack once you went outside.  
  
Raising your good hand, you reach out for the keys on the lock, allowing two of your fingers to come in gentle contact with the cold metal.  
  
You start to turn the key….  
  
The breath that was about to come out of your lips gets stuck somewhere inside your lungs…  
  
Then you hear it.  
  
 _Click_.  
  
As you breathe out, you could have sworn that your breath was louder than ever before, as the door of the lab creaks open and you find yourself staring at the empty bedroom that prevailed beyond it. Another small breath. Remember ______, you have to breathe.  
  
Take one step.  
  
Breathe.  
  
Take another one. A small one.  
  
The bedroom really appears to be empty at the moment, but you were no fool, so you still hold on to the syringe for seemingly dear life, as your brain empties and takes in its surroundings; there was no trace of blood on the foot of the bed, neither EJ was anywhere to be found from the spot you were standing on. If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought that the severe beating he gave you last night was only in your head; still, your throbbing right hand was there as a sure proof that you weren’t going mad just yet. You take another step. Your mattress is gone and along with it any trace that you lived inside this room. Breathe _______. Nice, no EJ for now, maybe the coast is clear. Thank God that the room is well lit, even if the light is dull, betraying the cloudy sky outside. Look on your right; breathe. Everything’s going to be alright. The door is locked, there is no sound coming from beyond it. Breathe… everything is…  
  
‘At last you decide to come out Jenny.’ A low, deranged chuckle reaches your ears.  
  
Surprise pops inside your mind like a wildfire, devouring all of your sanity in a split second, freezing your body on spot like a deer in headlights and making your heart lose its beating, almost stopping. Your scream gets stuck inside your chest and your head attempts to turn in order to locate the deranged man, only that it’s already too damn late.  
  
Two sturdy hands grab your from the back hard, almost crushing your petite figure inside their lethal and demonic embrace, wrapping around your chest, while your feet lose the steady ground that supported them, right as another chuckle reverberates like a gunshot, so close to your ear, that it sends violent shivers down your spine. As EJ picks you up violently from the ground, your mouth falls open and you inhale a sharp breath in order to scream bloody murder, tightening your grip around the syringe, yet as you were about to release the loud air current, a gloved hand flies and covers your mouth, the very same time that you feel him pressing his face against the side of your neck, the sniffing sound so clear, that made your intestines twirl and turn. Before you had the chance to realize it, you were already twisting and turning inside his embrace, trying to fight him off with whatever strength was left inside of you, but no matter how much you tried, he didn’t even seem to be fazed.  
  
‘You have to realize Jenny that your scent really is a splendid one; though I have to say it is slightly different from the last time we met. Not that I am the one to complain; you remain quite as appetizing as before. If not more.’ EJ murmurs, more to himself than to you.  
  
‘For. The. last. time! I. am. Not. Jenny!!!’ you try in vain to reason with hi- correction; knock some senses in him, but nothing reaches through into his mind.  
  
Instead, terror seizes you whole as you feel his shark-like teeth grazing the soft flesh of your neck, his cold lips never leaving your boiling skin and a hot liquid spreading on your neck until the teeth dip themselves inside your skin, making you scream as the man bites you hard; let’s just say that you manage to make yourself dizzy the moment you realized what he was doing, by turning and squirming and screaming loudly into his hand, only for a muffled sound to come out and another chuckle to emerge from deep within his chest. A small voice inside your head appeared right at that point, notifying you about the obvious: you were about to become his next meal.  
  
‘Do you happen to remember our first meetings Jenny? Do you happen to remember how you lured me out into the woods? How you chained me down and did all those torturous things? You and your little friends. But fear not; now that I finally took a hold of you, it is my time to… _enjoy_ … our time together.’  
  
By now, your head was pounding loudly by all the rushing blood that had infiltrated it; your vision was nothing more than a blur and the only thought that prevailed inside the vast spaces of your brain was the need to survive. To get the hell out of here and away from him. Because you didn’t like the way he continued to graze his teeth against your skin, his tongue joining the game to take a taste of the blood that had poured out, or the way he spoke the word ‘enjoy’. You tried to kick him somehow, you tried to punch him, twist and turn, but with each move you made, his grip only tightened more and more around you, to the point where it truly became difficult for you to breathe; the power that he was applying over your chest was so immense, that it was making your lungs struggle for a single intake of oxygen. Tears of desperation bubbled on the corners of your eyes, as the inevitability of escaping him dawned to you. Your hands tightened into fists…. and then you remembered!  
  
The anesthetic!  
  
In a single flash, your brain focused solely on your left hand, the hand that was still holding on to the syringe that was filled with the liquid that would grand you your freedom. That was it! That was your ticket out of here! Tightening your teeth, you lean your whole body back, making E.J. lean back in order to sustain your weight and then with another scream straight into his gloved hand, you stab him with all the power you had left inside of you.  
  
The sound that followed your actions made a small smile grace the corners of your lips, as E.J. screamed loudly and released you from his steely grip, allowing you to fall on your feet and let go of your grip over the syringe. You took a few steps forward, your left hand flying to grab another one and your lungs filling so violently with air, that you felt it burning slowly inside the depths of your insides as you stumbled away from the eyeless monster, turning just in time to see him fold in two, the tranquilizer protruding from his lower belly, the anesthetic gone and already infiltrating the man. Still, you had no time to spare. Steadying yourself, you grab the next one and with a loud scream you lunge against the man full force, with him caught by surprise and giving you the perfect opportunity to stab him right in the neck, pressing the plunger and seeing the transparent liquid disappear inside his coal black flesh.  
  
‘FUCK YOU, YOU MONSTER!’ you hear yourself scream on top of your lungs, rage shooting up straight from your heart and burning inside your veins like hot iron.  
  
But once you hear his chuckle, low, deep and alluring, surprise freezes you on the spot ‘All too eager again Jenny. Do not worry; this too shall come.’  
  
As if you didn’t just inject him with two anesthetic shots, his hands move in the speed of light as they grab you hard by the stomach and throw you over his shoulder, with the man standing up on his feet and catapulting you back on the foot of the bed with sheer power. A mortifying cracking sound emerges from your back, the moment it hits the wooden banister and you fall on the floor screaming in pain. Your pockets open and the rest of the syringes fall out; in their sight, E.J. laughs mockingly and kicks them all out of your reach, walking up and down in front of you like a true vulture.  
  
‘You will have to try a lot harder than that Jenny.’ He kneels down and takes a syringe in his hands, twisting and turning it as fast, as his trained hands enabled him ‘As you must have noticed, I am not as fragile as your little human self. It would take a lot of shots to take me down. But as I see, you failed to treat the concussion that I gave you yesterday.’  
  
As an answer, you cough up a bit of blood and focus your eyes on his eyeless holes ‘If… I kick you… in the nuts…will that work?’ you mock him, spitting a mouthful of the blood on his navy blue mask.  
  
‘Feisty as always I see.’ He comments, wiping the blood off ‘That’s what I liked about you back in the days Jenny. I thought that you were fun to be around, but that was before you and your friends tried to sacrifice me. Did you have fun Jenny? Because I will sure have fun with you now.’  
  
As he finishes his sentence, he raises himself up once again and the next thing you feel is a hand grabbing you hard by the hair and another by the armpit, before you are thrown on the bed harshly, with your body bouncing off on the soft mattress. Your eyes pop open by the sheer terror and you try to turn to the side and slide off but before you had the chance to do so, E.J. has already climbed over you, his legs trapping yours and his hands pinning yours to the sides of your head.  
  
You try to fight him off with everything you have, but his grip doesn’t subside at all; that was, until you noticed his mask turning to the side and he squeezed your broken wrist, earning himself a loud scream from your part. Through your tears, you can see his sadistic smile, dripping with your ruby red blood from back when he bit you.  
  
‘Let me go…please E.J., just let me go…’ the pleading words leave your lips long before you had the chance to stop them. But instead of listening to you, E.J. smiles even wider, grabbing the edges of your t-shirt.  
  
‘Leave you? Why should I do such a thing now that the fun is about to begin Jenny?’ he questions you, tilting his head to the side as if he was studying you curiously and leaning over you, so close, that his face is mere inches away from your own ‘You had your fun once, now it is my turn to enjoy you. But, since I am a generous man, it won’t be as painful as when you plucked my eyes out and filled the holes with that murderously hot tar. No, I will make you _enjoy_ it in the end. You shall see.’ He says and pulling the fabric hard, he leans back in order to allow you a full view of the shirt being torn into pieces, exposing your delicate (s/c) skin that was laced with huge bruises here and there and your bra to his suddenly hungry self; even if you weren’t able to see his full expression, the smile that spread across his face as he threw the last remaining pieces of the blouse apart was enough to trigger all alerts inside your mind.  
  
‘YOU F*CKER! NO!’ you scream and twist around, your left hand flying towards him and landing on his face in a hard slap. You went from being scared to a murderously protective person within a mere millisecond, trying to protect what was left from yourself with anything you had. He had taken a lot of things from you, Jack, your mental and physical health, but you were NOT going to allow him to abuse you in such a way. Even your right hand flew to cover your exposed bra, as you continued to attack him with your other hand and desperately trying to find a way of getting away from him.  
  
But the bastard sat hard on your legs, trapping them completely and in a flash, he grabbed your hand and pinned it to the side of your head.  
  
‘In a way, I am so happy that you survived our first encounter. And that you survived sane enough, if I may add.’ He commented happily, murderously happily.  
  
And then, his mouth fell on yours hard.  
  
You wanted to scream; you wanted to move, to kick him, to scream bloody murder but there was nothing you could do to stop him, for two main reasons: one, he had purposely threw his whole weight against you, trapping you in between his sturdy chest and the soft mattress in such way, that didn’t allow you any movements whatsoever, no matter how much your brain pleaded and begged you to put some space between you and two, even if he had caught you by surprise, your lips were safely sealed under his mouth that grew impatient from the lack of entrance and tried anything that came into his mind to make you open your mouth; he bit your lips, tried to force you to open up, but your whole willpower had collected itself to keep your mouth shut. That was until you felt him reach down towards your pants and start tugging them impatiently; his hands flew to unbutton the single button and he immediately pulled them as far down as he could reach, skillfully undressing you and with you barely able to do anything else but keep your mouth shut and allow the tears to roll down your face. There was no way to stop him… there was no way for the whole thing to stop.  
  
And that desperation only grew, when his hands grabbed your thighs hard, pulling you against him and one of his hands slapped your thigh so hard, that unwillingly, your mouth opened in a scream that was immediately drowned as his tongue entered the spaces of your mouth roughly, in a way that was both violating and unpleasant; still, from E.J.’s side you could feel a victorious purr emerge from his chest and he smiled widely, continuing to kiss you as hard and viciously as he could, with his hands roaming all over your body hungrily and ignoring your hand that was hitting him as hard as you could in the back.  
  
An eternity seemed to pass by and when the man finally detached his mouth from yours, a small line of saliva still connecting you to him, you gasped in desperate need for air, coughing and trying to breathe as he made his way to your neck.  
  
‘You are as splendid as I remember you. Same delicate face and soft skin, same expressions, same attitude. Only your eyes and voice isn’t the same, but then again, I might be mixing it up a bit after all those years…’ he purred and bite you hard on the same spot as before, earning him another loud scream as your back arced unwillingly.  
  
His body shifted a bit and without realizing it, you move your foot that was suddenly freed for a mere second and you kick him straight where the sun doesn’t shine. He yells loudly, his voice sounding dual to your ears, and he backs away to protect himself, but not before your hand jerks up in a desperate try to wound him, but ending up grabbing his mask and ripping it off his face. The man’s hands fly to cover his face before you had the chance to see if you had landed any damage, but in the next second, a blur appears due to the tears that had flooded your eyes and you feel his hands wrap around your neck hard, his thumbs pressing firmly against your trachea, blocking off your air supply and choking you.  
  
‘I WILL NOT PLAY THESE GAMES JENNY! YOU BETTER BEHAVE YOURSELF!’  
  
You whimper loudly and both hands, wounded or not, rush to desperately try and loosen the steely grip around your neck, with the tears flowing in abundance from your eyes and eventually clearing, when he slaps you hard across the face. You scream and curse on him, but as you turn your desperate yet furious gaze upon him, what you saw far exceeded all of your expectations, pushing your sanity in its limits and making you want to scream, not in pain, but in a mixture of surprise and desperation.  
  
Because the man that was choking you currently…  
  
The man that was about to do the unthinkable to you…  
  
The man whose eyes were nowhere to be found and black holes that seemed endless now graced his once beautiful face….  
  
The man that had abducted and tortured you…  
  
Was Jack.  
  
All along, it was your very best friend, Jack.  
  
The man you had been searching endlessly right from the start.  
  
The man for which you threw yourself -without thinking about it too much- into harm’s way.  
  
Your Jack.  
  
You had no explanation as to how you managed to breathe in right at that point. You had no way in explaining the breath you took, but you did inhale it, you did took in that one single breath that was what you needed to let hell break loose on earth. Because right at that point, your heart broke. Right at that point, you screamed out of longing and heartache. Tears rolled down gracefully from your own two (e/c) orbs, harbingers of the waterfall of tears that followed them; you were crying so hard that your vision became blurred once again and your chest pained and shook from the violent sobs that came out of your heart –no, your very own soul- as you gazed upon your best friend that appeared to be long gone for four years now. Oh, how long had you been searching for him, how many tears you had shed and how much pain you had endured all on your own since he left. Since he disappeared. No words were enough to describe how much you suffered in his absence. No words were enough to describe how you felt right then and there, as if Heaven had opened its gates for your mortal eyes to look upon the breathtaking beauty.  
  
If it mattered that the man now looked more like a demon than a human or even an angel? If it mattered that his once serene face was altered into a deranged mask that belonged to a demon? Did it matter that he was altered beyond human capability, yet still held on to the characteristics which you had grown so fond of; that you had come to love?  
  
No, it didn’t matter in the slightest.  
  
Because you had finally found him. After all this time, you had managed to complete the vow you took and you found your best friend. And frankly, it did not matter that the tar dripping from his face was burning your skin, nor did it matter what he was about to do to you or had already done to you. It didn’t matter that he was choking you.  
  
He was alive. And that was what mattered.  
  
Through your tears, you grace the man with the first sincere smile you mustered up in four years, as your hand raised itself to cup his cheek tenderly, even if it didn’t extract any reaction from the man. It didn’t matter.  
  
‘My sweet Jack…..my sweet, sweet Jack…..what have they done to you?’ you cried out with what was left of your breath, smiling and crying all at the same time. You didn’t regret any of your actions up until now, but you did regret leaving Jenny alive. Because you knew right then and there, that all this pain and misery was her doing; and you wanted her dead more than anything in the whole wide world.  
  
‘What you have done to me Jenny, do not forget about your actions.’ Jack yelled but as realization dawned to you, you couldn’t be mad at him; he didn’t remember you. For now at least.  
  
‘It’s me Jack….’ you swallow down a lump ‘It’s me ______.’  
  
‘You will not escape me Jenny, so stop trying to mislead me.’ he replies sternly.  
  
He leans back to kiss your neck violently, as his hands fly to grab your legs from behind your knees and pull them towards his waist, but all you could do was hug that poor soul with all your might, with both hands; like if you let go of him, he would dissolve into thin air once again.  
  
_‘I hurt myself today to see if I still feel; I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real…The needle tears a hole; the old familiar sting. Try to kill it all away but I remember everything…..What have I become? My sweetest friend… Everyone I know, goes away in the end…And you could have it all, my empire of dirt…I will let you down…I will make you hurt.’_  
  
Why were you singing? You had absolutely no clue as to why you suddenly decided to do a simple act like this one, but right now, with all the feelings of love and hurt along with relief and longing that had flooded your broken heart, it seemed like the only thing you could do, as you continued crying and smiling to no one in particular, hugging Jack with all the power you had left inside your broken body and feeling your heart paining you from her physical condition that had overwhelmed her. But you didn’t care at all. Nothing, no feeling could compare to the ones that you were feeling right now and choosing this particular song that you sang every time that human Jack was unwell or in desperate need of a hug, seemed like the right thing to do. If he remembered you or not, you didn’t care in the slightest; you were only happy that you had found him. because your best friend was once again inside your very two hands, broken beyond any restoration, but still somehow alive; and if you had to live with his broken self, then so be it.  
  
You loved him too much to let him go again.  
  
‘ _I wear this crown of shit, upon my liar's chair. Full of broken thoughts I cannot repair… Beneath the stains of time, the feelings disappear; you are someone else, I am still right here…What have I become? My sweetest friend…Everyone I know, goes away in the end..’_  
  
Strangely enough, as you continued on and on with singing to your heart’s content, Jack froze on spot; all of his movements seized and he just stood there, remaining like a cold statue. Then, slowly but steadily, he moved his head back to gaze upon your crying face with his seemingly puzzled own. You smiled to him and cupped his cheek once again.  
  
 _‘And you could have it all….My empire of dirt….I will let you down, I will make you hurt….If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself, I would find a way…’_  
  
As the song finally came to an end, the both of you remained right there, one looking deeply into the face of the other, allowing silence to bestow you, so thick, that if you wanted to, you would cut it with a knife.  
  
Still, you smiled even more ‘It’s me Jack….It’s me ______.’  
  
For a split second, recognition passed through his majestic characteristics and his mouth fell into a confused frown ‘_-____? Is it really you?’ he mumbled, voice barely audible by the surprise.  
  
You nodded ‘It’s me Jack. I have finally found you.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song you are singing is Hurt by Johnny Cash, a cover for the Nine Inch Nails song.


	23. Chapter 23 Memento Mei

For a split second, recognition passed through his majestic characteristics and his mouth fell into a confused frown ‘_-____? Is it really you?’ he mumbled, voice barely audible by the surprise.  
  
You nodded ‘It’s me Jack. I have finally found you.’  
  
No words were enough to describe how happy you were right at that moment. No words would ever be enough to describe the wave of emotions that were washing over you in huge tidal waves as you looked upon the face of your own best friend, the one that had accompanied you for the most part of the years you had been walking planet Earth and the one that you had been looking for all this time. It all seemed like a very vivid, cruel dream; you were so scared that you were about to wake up and find yourself on the cold floor of EJ’s lab, beaten to death and drawing your very last breaths, with the man standing right in front of you, watching you as you died. But that would never happen. Jack was not going to dissolve under your touch, which was as soft as a feather, in fear that you would cause him to disappear at any given second. Jack was EJ. The irony of the facts made you chuckle a bit, a sound that came out relieved and happy, no matter the tears that continued to cascade your face like a graceful waterfall; they weren’t tears of sorrow, but tears of utter and ultimate happiness.  
  
Jack was right there.  
  
Jack was right in front of you.  
  
And he was far more than simply confused.  
  
You were sure, that if he still had his eyes, they would be gazing upon you with pure confusion; the intense furrowing of his eyebrows was enough to betray his distressed thoughts to you. He had just recognized you, but his brain obviously denied all the sudden information that he was presented with, in a desperate attempt to keep what was left of his sanity at bay. Were you real? Where you really right here along with him? His lips half-opened and a soft, cold breath came out, falling on your hot skin like a breeze, but the words he needed to utter never surfaced from his chest; instead, you saw him raising his left hand carefully –extremely carefully- and bringing it to his face, he cupped it over your very own hand, his eyeless gaze never breaking contact with your own. He was making sure that it was you that was lying right under him, that you were neither a mirage nor a Jenny that finally managed to fool him. But how on earth could you be Jenny when he could clearly smell the sweet aroma that your skin gave off? No one had such a divine scent of jasmine other than you, which was suddenly more vivid thanks to his sharpened senses.  
  
A fragile, human creature.  
  
Inside the complete silence, he detached his hand from yours, only to reach out for your face. Gently, you felt his cold fingers touch your (s/c), delicate skin, wiping away the tears that had stained you with his thumb. You continued to smile at him and cry, silently accepting the fact that the man would need some time to recover completely; you had so many questions to ask him, you didn’t know where to start from. The question that still remained though was if he was in the right state to answer you.  
  
‘________.’ He simply whispered, a sound that was barely audible even to you, yet held such wonder inside that sent a shiver down your spine.  
  
‘Hey Jack.’ you smile ‘Long time no see..’ it was lame. A lame answer indeed, but it was the best you could think of right now.  
  
Suddenly, his face leaned downwards, his eyeless gaze falling on your exposed bra and the various bruises that laced your body in dark blue and purple patterns; flinching instinctively, you retreated your hands to try and cover up yourself a bit. You felt the temperature drop considerably, but before you had the chance to ask him anything, Jack growled a bit –more to himself than to you- and stepped away from you, throwing his feet on the floor and swiftly walking up to the wardrobe as a grim expression graced his features. You followed him with your curious gaze, wondering what he was thinking and doing, but the male said utterly nothing, only opened one of the drawers and grabbed one of his hoodies, before turning and walking back to you.  
  
‘Here. Wear this.’ he said evenly, wrapping his hands around your torso and helping you sit up, before proceeding with dressing you with his hoodie.  
  
‘I can wear it on my-ARGH!’ you tried to keep him from dressing you, but once you raised your hands to do so, a stinging pain shot up from your broken ribs, making you cringe and retreat them immediately. You wouldn’t lie; it was an excruciating pain, but what was left of your pride didn’t allow you to have him dress you.  
  
He pressed his lips ever so faintly in pure dismay and passed the hoodie from your head, completely ignoring your protests ‘Would you give a try in being more compliant for a change? I am’ he sighed, struggling to find the correct words ‘I am not trying to hurt you in any way. You have my word.'  
  
‘I know that.’ you replied, faster than you would like, making him look up and meet his gaze with your own, clearly not convinced.  
  
You sighed ‘I know that you won’t hurt me Jack. I know that because I know you.’ you managed to give him a small smile.  
  
‘How can you be so sure about that, when I myself failed to recognize you the moment I saw you? How do you claim to know me, when it is clear that even I do not know myself? Do you have any idea ______, what was I about to do to you?’ he commented coldly, his gaze steady and betraying no emotion at all.  
  
You swallowed hard, yet kept your gaze fixed on his as you filled with determination and somehow anger; he might consider himself to be clever, but he surely does remain thick in the head ‘I know perfectly well what you were about to do Jack.’ you sigh ‘But I also know you; the other you, the one that still had his eyes and his appetite consisted of hamburgers and hot dogs and I know, that even if you are so different now, you still remain the very same. And I am sure you are about to ask how do I know that you won’t hurt me’ you continue, cutting the man off ‘It’s because you had your chances in killing me, far too many times and didn’t. That’s how I know.’  
  
Hearing your words, he didn’t dignify them with any response whatsoever. Instead, he remained completely still and quiet, completely drawn inside his own thoughts that you would give everything to know, his back turned to you and his head lowered to gaze at the ground. Giving you no warning, he rose on his own feet out of the blue and placing one hand on your back and one under your knees, he scooped you up in his own sturdy hands swiftly , before he made his way towards the lab, kicking the door open with his foot and ignoring the mumbles of discomfort and anger from your side; even if you were in terrible pain, you didn’t want him to treat you any differently, so if he needed you in the lab, you would do your best to walk your way there. But try to reason with a killer that had just discovered his past –or at least part of it- and didn’t look the least happy about his previous actions towards you…. and if you knew Jack from all these years, he needed his own time to come to his senses.  
  
So, you allowed him to gently place you on the medical bed, before going around the room silently, picking up the various things he would need and completely ignoring the mess you had created by searching all the cupboards. You watched him silently, feet hovering over the ground, with all the questions filling your mind like a black mist that denied any reason to befall and give you the patience to wait for him to feel ready and talk to you by himself; screw that! You needed answers and you needed them right the f*ck now. Like, what really happened to him back there? What did Jenny do to him? Why didn’t he remember you right away? And the most important question of them all, what is going to happen from now on? And by the way he was pacing up and down the room, you knew that he was able to feel your gaze burning away the skin of his back, along with the hoodie.  
  
Eventually, you were fed up by waiting.  
  
‘I have some questions I need you to answer.’ You say decisively, as he turned and came towards you, pulling the small portable table that had his tools along with him.  
  
This time, his face wasn’t covered by that hideous mask, so you were able to see him sigh ‘I would have been quite amazed if you did not. Though, I do not know if I have the answers.’ He said, helping you take the hoodie off and proceeding with examining your wounds as carefully as possible.  
  
‘Are you at least willing to try and answer them Jack? Because we can both agree that you kind of have to answer them.’ You shrug ‘I had answered all of yours.’  
  
He gently grabbed your shoulders ‘I cannot make any promises. Lie down.’ He pushed you back and you lied on the table before the man continued ‘I can try answer them, but I know not if it will be of help.’ he admitted, connecting you with the cardiographer and proceeding with checking the state in which your stomach was, by pressing it as lightly as he was allowed to. You flinched a bit when he pressed the certain point in which he kicked you, but other than that, you were okay…. You guess at least.  
  
‘Okay, let’s start with the easy ones then.’ You mumble, watching the man’s every move, trying to see if he would lie or not ‘What happened to you back in the university?’  
  
It was an easy way to begin with and it would be quite impossible for him not to remember; thinking that it must have been a traumatic experience, it would be highly unlikely not to remember a single thing. Other than that, he had confused you with Jenny. In your question, his hands freeze a few inches from the skin of our hands, but after a split second, he continued to clean the wound that was there.  
  
‘I remember quite a few things from back then. Most of them have returned these past two days, from the moment you showed me that picture.’ He shrugged indifferently ‘I remember that I was a student there, minding my own business and hanging out with the man that was my roommate; I can’t remember his name yet, but I will in the future. It was in one of these classes that I met Jenny. She managed to lure me out one night, to the cave that she and her pathetic friends occupied and it was right then and there that they all attacked me from behind.’  
  
Uninvited, the image of Jenny and her friends attacking Jack in the dark appeared right in front of you; their laughing faces that were surely filled with nothing but malice, your innocent friend that had absolutely no idea what was about to happen to him and his screams that failed to reach anyone’s ears. Anger mixed with sorrow shot up inside of you, fueling your broken heart and making you bite your lower lip with power, trying not to allow yourself to cry; it was all so sad, that the strong urge to kill that mother*cking piece of utter sl*ttiness emerged from within you and you struggled with yourself not to stand up and go find her right then and there.  
  
‘It appears that you do not have internal bleeding. Good.’ Jack pulled you out of your thoughts, flexing your left leg carefully and placing it back to the medical bed.  
  
‘What happened next?’ you choke up the words. Was it a good thing that you asked? Did you really want to know what happened next? Alas, you blurted out the words before you had the chance to control yourself.  
  
‘They tied me down in front of the cave’ Jack continued on unfazed and keeping up with his examinations, by connecting you with a blood bag and injecting you with some of his own blood ‘And said that I was their only means to everlasting paradise, the paradise that someone named Chernol…no, Cherbo-‘  
  
‘Chernobog.’ You correct him, eyes like two dinner plates by the shock.  
  
‘That’s right, Chernobog. The everlasting paradise, that Chernobog would give them, if they offered me to him, since he had chosen me. They proceeded with uprooting my eyes with some kind of spoon and filling the empty spaces with this strange, tar-like liquid. I remember that it was burning me and that I was screaming. Then, I died.’  
  
He seemed so unfazed by the story he was telling, like it was something of no importance –like the weather for example- and happened to someone other than him. Like it was rather funny for something like that to happen, or at least indifferent for him. How was that possible? How could he say this story like that, in the same time that you were feeling your insides twisting and turning, only to yell for a bucket and once he offered it to you, you emptied your stomach again and again in it, your conscience reacting to the horrible images that sprang inside your traitorous mind; who in their right mind would picture everything and most importantly, what brain would make that picture so vivid?! Jack continued with cleaning your wounds up and making sure that despite the severe beating he gave you, there was no permanent damage done and once you were done with hurling, you rested the bucket on the floor and fell back on the medical bed, trying to catch your breath.  
  
‘Che-Chernobog was a demon that Jenny and her friends worshipped.’ You breathed out ‘I discovered a shrine devoted to him when I was investigating the cave.’  
  
‘It would explain a lot.’ He commented.  
  
‘Like the rising from the dead, black skin, excellent sight despite the lack of eyes and the sudden appetite for human organs?’ you finish his sentence for him, as he grabbed a bandage and started wrapping your wounded torso.  
  
‘Like that.’ he commented evenly.  
  
‘And then you woke up and murdered them all. Or at least you tried, since Jenny is alive but locked up in an asylum.’ You say.  
  
‘She must have been really lucky in order to survive; I was beyond myself with rage that night, I almost attacked the whole campus. But, instead of going after the rest of the students, I disappeared inside the woods.’ he sighed and looked at you ‘You must be really lucky or really unlucky to stumble upon me once again. You should have left when I first started coming after you.’  
  
Tightening your jaw with determination, you look at him dead in the eye ‘I was so determined in finding out what had happened to you that only death would have stopped me Jack. I had no one else but you; I ran away from home and passed to the same university for the sole purpose of finding you, dead or alive. And that is what brings me to my next question.’ You sigh and frown ‘What do you remember of me?’  
  
Silence was the very first thing that succeeded your very own words. Jack kept his mouth shut and his thoughts to himself and you nevertheless continued looking at him steadily, finally reaching the question that had bugged you the most: was he able to remember you? He did recognize you, but how far did his memory reach? It was a dreadful thing that filled your heart with pain and sorrow, since being forgotten by the only person you valued in your life would be something that you would never be able to recover from. So did he remember? For a bit, Jack remained at the same spot, eyeless gaze falling on his hands that were skillfully wrapping your legs in bandages, before he walked on your right and started tending to your broken hand, all this time without uttering a single word. You allowed him to help you out, both of you drowning inside your own thoughts, with you throwing your legs to the side and sitting in front of him once again, scanning his even face for any indication as to what he was thinking as he wrapped your hand in a cast.  
  
When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and even, as if he was counting his every word.  
  
‘For my kind, memories of our past selves almost never exist. We don’t know who we were, which family was ours, what happened to us; it is as if our mind and memories are all wiped clean and we have to continue with all the things we have right then. If I had to comment on this fact, I would say that this is necessary to happen. We are killing machines; men and women that can no longer be defined by the human aspect, haunted by our own demons and walking the earth solely to spread mayhem and death. Memories of our human days have no place in our minds. Yet, it is not impossible to remember; the Master’s servants remember nothing from their past lives but their names. There are others that do remember.’ He says ‘One of my… ‘friends’ as you humans defy them, does remember everything: the murders of his own family, the murder of his own brother. But from what I saw in others as well, it does us no good; it confusses us, makes us more unstable. This is why memories are bad.’  
  
‘And what applies to you Jack?’ your voice was barely above a whisper as you uttered these words.  
  
His gaze rose to meet with yours ‘I do remember you ______. I can’t remember your full name, our relationship before I became what I am now, or how we met, but I do remember that for a very strange reason, you are important. Very important. And since I am able to think back until one point, I can see why I was drawn to you in the first place; you always reminded me something. Now, it is only a matter of time to remember everything.’  
  
Without controlling it, you raise your hand to stroke his cheek, the exact same moment a tear rolls down from the corner of your eye as you smile a sorrowful smile to him. One inch before you manage to touch him though, Jack takes a step back fast, as if he was afraid that the single action would tear him apart, that it would burn him; right then, another feeling pained your heart, which had nothing to do with your heart condition.  
  
You swallow hard and try your best to keep your smile put ‘I will make sure to stay here until you remember me Jack. I promise you that I will.’  
  
He shakes his head emotionlessly ‘No, it was a mistake to bring you here. A fatal mistake ______; I have put you into a lethal situation by bringing you here.’  
  
In his words, terror freezes you on the spot and your smile falls into an angry frown.  
  
‘If you believe that I will let you take me back, you are sadly mistaken you moron! I have no one else but you, so you might as well kill me now, because I am not leaving you ever again!’ you scream at his face, anger making your whole body shake as tears flowed freely ‘I am staying Jack and I won’t let you take me back! I am not leaving you alone ever again!’  
  
‘I am not implying that I will take you back.’ It was his time to raise his voice, which became stern, and almost dual ‘You are too precious to leave and it is too late to do so in the first place.’  
  
‘Then what are we going to do?!’ you demand to know.  
  
‘We are both leaving. Tomorrow morning.’ He announces.


	24. Chapter 24 The Only Way Out

_Everything was pitch black inside the forest at this late hour of the night. The silver orb that graced the skies every night was nowhere to be seen and her mystifying light was absolutely absent, making the tall pine trees that surrounded the small cave seem more threatening and ready to devour any living soul inside their deep shadows; it was that time of the month, the new moon, and the whole forest was engulfed in the shadows, concealing the terrifying things that were about to unfold within. The whole atmosphere was electrified by the approaching storm which was coming quicker than anyone had ever imagined, with its threatening lightning sounding every now and then and offering the only source of light inside the dark nature; you could almost smell the first drops of water preparing themselves to fall gracefully from the heavens and the complete lack of any sound only served to send shivers down anyone’s -that happened to be outside and unsheltered- spine._  
  
 _But there was another source of light coming through the trees._  
  
 _As the vivid flames of a strong fire threw enough light around the entrance of the cave, Jack was more than simply able to see what was happening around him, that of course, if he managed to see past the blurriness of his vision. The back of his head was throbbing him quite a bit and the hot blood that had poured out of the wound had long ago stained both his hoodie and his auburn colored hair. Still, that was the least of his problems right now, since five figures were standing all around him, dressed in long, black robes and featureless navy blue masks. The figure that appeared to be Jenny, was standing closer to him, holding something along the lines of a spoon in her hands and was currently moving towards his tied up and kneeling figure, smiling a bright and malevolent smile to the man. Jack let out a bloodcurdling scream and started fighting with the ropes that bound him, all at the same moment trying to reason with the girl._  
  
 _‘_ _No! Jenny no! Please, please don't do this!" He begged, watching her stop in front of him. She giggled lightly placing her hand on his forehead.  
  
"All hail lord Chernobog~.’_  
  
 _The next thing Jack felt, was the excruciating pain of the silver object coming in hard contact with the surface of his eye. The soft tissue gave in under the immense pressure and was torn apart until far beyond the small eyeball; at that point, Jack was screaming so loud, so desperately, that he could practically feel his lungs struggle to keep him breathing and his vocal cords reaching the ends of their capabilities and beginning to break. His body shook and squirmed on its own, his reflexes trying to put some space between him and the sharp object, but the steady pressure of two people that were standing by his sides allowed him no such action. He was trapped and unable to do the slightest thing. Jenny said something right at that point, her words failing to reach his ears through the pain and screams and before he knew it, his other eye was undergoing the very same torture; blood was dripping down from both of his eyes and his desperate screams met with no by-stander saviors._  
  
 _Then, out of literally nowhere, a thought sprang inside his mind, a flash of hope inside the maddening pain: if the pain is so immense, why doesn’t he just die? Why doesn’t he just…. die? It was obvious that there was no possible way out of this situation, so why should he continue breathing? There is nothing left for him in this word –not that he can remember anything- and the small glimpse of a tender smile produced by a girl was now being buried on the far corners of his dying mind… all he had to do was just let go and end his suffering._  
  
 _Jack’s mind never even felt the hot, tar-like liquid that the leader of the small cult poured inside his now empty eye sockets._  
  
 _"Behold, the sight of Chernobog!" He called._  
  
 _Even if Jack’s body let out a bloodcurdling scream, his mind had long ago seized to feel any kind of pain…. On the contrary, another sensation started spreading inside of him, starting from his heart and spreading towards the rest of his body: as if he was being submerged in icy cold waters, the pain started to withdraw under the strange feeling and a cold sensation awoke from the depths of his heart, spreading lazily towards the rest of him, devouring everything in its path and taking away all of the pain; finally, he thought._  
  
 _His conscience started to fade…_  
  
 _And then, he died…_  
  
 _._  
  
 _._  
  
 _._  
  
 _._  
  
 _._  
  
 _Jack always wondered how death felt like. Was it like falling asleep? Was it like you were being hit by a bus? Maybe a train? Did you see a strong light that was calling you to walk towards it, only for you to do so, falling in some kind of trance? Or were the people that died immediately reincarnated? Were they immediately born inside a completely different life?_  
  
 _No, death seemed to be nothing like that._  
  
 _Death was like an endless, dark void in which he found himself floating around peacefully. Everything was cold and completely quiet, something that should have caused him some kind of discomfort, but it didn’t; that and the complete lack of any ray of light, should have been indications that he was in a serious situation. Yet he didn’t react at all and all he could think of was that the pain was finally gone; he didn’t know if his eyes were restored or if the numbness he felt was due to the soothing effects of death itself, but he felt nothing… and strangely, he was content with just that. There was no need to dwell in the past, no need to feel the pain, no need to remember who the ones that hurt him were, no need to remem-_  
  
 _Wait…._  
  
 _Who hurt him?_  
  
 _Or more importantly, where is he?_  
  
 _He just can’t remember…_  
  
 _In fact, he can’t remember anything, other than the fact that his name is Jack.._  
  
 _Was that a good or a bad thing?_  
  
 _Wait….he remembers one other thing as well…._  
  
 _That he is lethally angry._  
  
 _The moment this thought formed inside his mind, a bright ray of light flashes just above him out of literally nowhere, drawing the man’s attention and making the darkness around him reflect some of it, making it appear like millions of stars came to life the exact same moment that the light appeared; turning his empty stare to gaze upon it, it was surely the most clear and warming light he had ever seen in his whole life. It was blinding and warm and Jack had to place his hand in front of his eyes in order to be able to gaze upon it with ease; strangely enough, he was able to discern some kind of movement coming from within the bright orb, which shifted and turned, acting like a true living entity. Unconsciously, he raised his hand and reached out, his fingers literally trying to get a grip out of the light, flexing and stretching towards it, like a drowning man that was desperate for salvation; he didn’t know if the light would cause him harm or save him, but all of this was trivial in front of the need to touch it… just for a single second… just touch the dream-like light that managed to make its way inside the eternity of death._  
  
 _Right then, as he stretched one more time towards it…_  
  
 _A hand grabbed his own with power._  
  
 _It was a rather thin, delicate hand that seemed so fragile, it could be broken with just a single twitch of his own hand, as easily as he would snap a twig; yet the grip around his own was sturdy and decisive, causing Jack to avert his gaze back to the orb. To his complete surprise, all movement had seized, since the thing that was moving inside was finally coming out. And it was nothing more than a girl…a breathtaking, dream-hauntingly beautiful, girl… She was leaning with her torso out of the light, her hand wrapped around his and her other one back inside the light. She appeared to be made out of the same white energy as the light, yet she stood out on her own; her delicate face, neck, shoulders, torso and belly were lacking any sign of clothing, yet revealed nothing as her stern gaze was focused solely on him and her long/short hair were waving lazily around her face, framing it majestically. And the only thing he seemed to do was look upon her with wonder, enchanted by her mere existence._  
  
 _~Rise Jack. It is time to return to your vessel. Rise and take the offer presented to you.~ she spoke, her voice pounding hard inside his mind._  
  
 _~Rise once again.~ she ordered ~RISE!~_  
  


  
**~ * ~**  


‘C’mon Jack, wake up.’ an all too familiar voice sounded from somewhere close to Jack.  
  
Unwillingly, the man flinched and opened his empty eye sockets, momentarily blinded by the bright white lights of the lab, earning a low growl from him as he raised his hand to block the light somehow. It was a rather strange thing that his usually sharp brain couldn’t process right now; what the hell was he doing inside the lab and why was his back suddenly against a hard surface, if he was just waking up? Confused, he looks around him, only to meet with a pair of tired-looking (e/c) orbs, looking at him from his side, having kneeled beside him. _______. What was she doing here? Blinking once again, he gazes upon the girl, who tried to rub sleep away from her eyes.  
  
‘What are you doing here ______?’ he hears himself ask her, his voice hoarse and breathless.  
  
‘I need to get some of my medicine because my chest is aching. I came over here to take them, when I saw you raising your hand in the air before you fell off the medical bed.’ She simply shrugged and yawned.  
  
It was right at that moment when Jack realized where he was and how did he get there. After the long conversation he had with _____ last night and the common agreement that they had to get out of the mansion as soon as possible to avoid being discovered, he let her sleep on his bed, while he slept on the bed of the lab, so that both of them were comfortable. It appears though that the dream he had, caused him to fall off it and onto the floor, resulting to the faint pain he felt on the back of his head, probably result of the collision. Growling lightly, he sat up, rubbing the wounded part of his head, before standing up and walking over to the counter, with _____ following him close behind. Without so much as a single word, he gave her the pills and watched silently as the girl threw her head back and popped some in her mouth, downing them without the help of any water. His shaken brain was set into motion only now and as he was looking upon her, it was evident that she was the force that was helping him to relax, even if the urge to kill her was still stuck with him; he could just wrap his hands around her neck and snap it with a single move, but whatever was inside of him knew that something like that was going to cut off any ropes that tied him with whatever was left of his sanity.  
Plus, she was not a random girl; she was _____ and she was important, even if he couldn’t remember everything about her yet. That’s why he couldn’t risk having her any longer inside a house filled with killers; in this thought, he only wanted to kick himself for not realizing the lethal situation sooner.  
  
As the man stared at the fragile girl, he could practically hear her heartbeat returning to normal with each passing second.  
  
‘You should go back to sleep when you are feeling better. You will need all the strength you have for the moving.’ He advised her, making her avert her gaze towards him and eventually sigh.  
  
‘I will. What are you going to do?’ she questioned him, her hand unconsciously rubbing her neck, exactly were Jack had tightened his hands around yesterday. Now, a purple and blue bruise decorated the (s/c) skin where he touched her.  
  
It was going to ache for a few weeks…  
  
‘I will head to the house that we will occupy from tomorrow onwards, to make sure that it is properly prepared. It will take me probably until 12 in the morning, so I will come back around that time.’ he informed her, throwing a quick look at the clock, which read 6 in the morning.  
  
He watched as the girl sighed yet again and threw her hand to press her eyes lightly, obviously thinking about the trip and her condition; Jack thought that the cold weather wasn’t doing her a favor as well, but he would make sure to keep her both standing up –the serum of adrenaline was enough for another shot- and warm –his clothes would be better suited to last against the cold; and if she didn’t want to wear them, he would force her to.  
  
When she averted her eyes to meet with his empty sockets, it was obvious that the fire Jack saw when he first met her was once again shining behind her (e/c) orbs, offering the man a glimpse to the pure determination that shimmered inside her very soul ‘What do you want me to do then while I wait?’  
  
He sighed ‘Rest as much as you can and then pack the rest of the clothing. One bag or two will be enough I believe.’  
  
‘Perfect.’ She bites her lower lip, worry suddenly flashing through her face ‘What if one of your friends decides to pay me a visit once again?’  
  
‘They won’t.’ he reassured her, faster than it was necessary. Jack watched as her face turned to him, her eyes betraying that she wasn’t convinced at all. Why were humans so disbelieving sometimes? Then again, they were entities that were hunted down as well, by beings such as himself, so it was only natural.  
  
‘If they do come in, use this’ he said, reaching out for one of the shelves and grabbing the first bottle in the line, he handed the girl a small phial of a transparent liquid ‘Try pouring it on their faces and then hit their heads with whatever heavy object you can find. I will deal with them once I come back.’  
  
Taking the bottle gently in her hands, Jack was sure that she was going to question him further about it, yet to his ultimate surprise, she just nodded and held it against her chest ‘Okay then. I’ll return to bed.’ She commented, before turning her back to him and walking out of the lab, leaving him alone to gather his thoughts.  
  
She was definitely a strange creature, even for a female human; if you asked him, he was totally sure that she would press him to either take her along with him, or at least find out what the liquid was. But once again, she surprised him by saying nothing and returning to bed. What kind of creature can turn from hostile to obedient depending on the day? Jack shook his head; it didn’t matter right now, he would have all the time in the world to study her fully once they are away from any danger –study both her and the memories that revolved around her and their connection before he turned to what he is now-, and right now, he had to pack things up and head to the small wooden cabin he had discovered some years back. This was where he was taking her and it was secluded enough not to be found out. At least easily. He had spend most of the previous night thinking about it, as well as how they were going to get out, when it dawned to him that the only way to slip her out unnoticed, was through the window of his room; it had view on the northern side of the forest and no other rooms looked towards the north as well. It was such and obvious answer, that she herself had thought of it back when she tried to escape.  
  
And that was going to be their way out.  
  
Grabbing his usual bag, instead of stuffing it with the usually empty organ jars, Jack started going around the lab and filling them with any medical tool that fit inside; he knew very well that it would be impossible to move the bigger equipment out of the house unnoticed and since he wanted to avoid any questions, he would replace them in time and from any hospital that happened to have them stored. Yet the medicine and surgical tools would be perfect to move out of the house and help in case anything happened to _______; and no one would ever expect the jars to be filled with anything but his favorite organs. So, once he had filled each and every one of them, he threw it carefully over his shoulder and went out of the lab, closing the door behind him. The rhythmical breathing coming from under the covers of his bed allowed him to know that ______ was sound asleep, with her heartbeat beating with a very slight arrhythmia. She should be good until the time he would return at least. Walking up to the door, he raised his hand to open it but inches before his gloved fingers touched the cold surface, he paused and turned his head once again.  
  
His eyeless stare returned to the dreaming girl, his mind suddenly hesitant of leaving her alone. Maybe he should move her now, along with the tools? No, it would be best for her to get some rest. Nothing was going to happen to her, she had the phial with the sulfuric acid right beside her. He shouldn’t worry too much… Wait…Huh…. Worry was something Jack hadn’t experienced in a pretty long time.  
  
Pushing all of his thoughts away from his mind, he opens the door and passes on the empty hallway quickly, before locking the door and walking towards the stairs. He had made sure to take the nails off the window of his room and he knew pretty much all the paths around the mansion and inside the forest, so he would make sure to move her through the quickest and safest way, avoiding any kind of trouble that might be lurking around; that and the fact that no one knew the location of the house would serve as the perfect hideout. So, the man walked down the stairs, tightening his grip both around his favorite scalpel that rested inside his hoodie and the grip around the bag. It was still pretty late, so the darkness was eminent, as well as the complete silence that prevailed, since everyone was either out killing or sleeping. Still, Jack’s senses never failed to pick up the only one of the residents that was sitting on the living room on his left, completely concealed by the darkness. He chose to ignore him though.  
  
‘Going out for another snack so soon f*cker?’ the distinctive sound of a metallic object being thrown in the air and then caught by someone reached Jack’s ears as he reached the entrance door and opened it, allowing the dangerously cold air rush inside the warm interior.  
  
‘My actions do not concern you Jeff.’ was the only answer Jack allowed himself.  
  
‘They do if you have a guest staying over.’  
  
Jack’s instincts hit sky levels just then, with the darkness inside of him threatening to devour all of his remaining sanity; instinctively, he tightened his grip around the scalpel, ready to face the man immediately when he would charge against him. He knew that he was more skillful than Jeff, even if his own stamina wasn’t a match to the burnt man’s. Before it came down to this though, the logical side of his brain took over; the man was purely bluffing. If he knew about ______, he would have killed her already.  
  
‘Nice try Jeffery, but next time you enter my room, I will not hesitate to kill you.’ was the only answer he gave him, before passing outside, to the darkness of the night.  
  
  


  
**~ * ~**

  
  
  
When you woke up once again, the darkness of the night had given its place to the piercing daylight that was coming through the windows, filling Jack’s room with a rather cold grey light; the heavy clouds seemed to never abandon the vast sky and you really didn’t need to get up and gaze out of the window to know that a fresh sheet of snow had covered the earth once again. It was the weather that made you want to tuck in the bed and stay there until the refreshing days of spring came. That was mainly one of the reasons that you chose to stay under the warm covers for a bit more; they had acquired a sweet warmth, mainly result of your own body heat, and were so warm and cozy, that your conscience was drifting in and out of sleep for a few moments. Alas, when the affairs of last night popped inside your mind, sleep was briefly brushed away and your tired mind began to ponder over what had happened.  
  
You were finally able to find Jack –and also assaulted by him-, you discovered that he had lost a great proportion of his memory –yet thankfully was able to remember you up until a certain point- and he would take you out of here and run away along with you. It was a lot of information to take in in one go and you chose to push whatever was unnecessary away from your mind for now. All that mattered was that you were with Jack; everything else was going to be alright for you as long as you are by his side. You would make him remember you no matter what. But right now, you had a task to work on: in order for you to run away, you had to pack all of your clothing and his. Where he would take you, you had no clue, but you were content with just being away from this hellhole and away from Jack’s ‘friends’. Not because you were scared of them, but because you didn’t know what they were going to do to Jack if they found out that he had broken the rules by bringing you here. And losing him now that you managed to find him was definitely out of the f*cking question.  
  
So, throwing the covers to the side, you allow the coldness of the room to wake your senses up as you walk inside the lab and into the bathroom to freshen up a bit and prepare for the long day that was ahead of you. It was a rather challenging thing to do, since the severe beating you had undergone yesterday didn’t help you with moving around that much and when you finally looked into the mirror, the girl that was looking back at you was both pretty beaten up as she was pale and had obviously lost quite a lot of weight. Purple and blue bruises covered the most part of your body and where Jack’s hands had wrapped around your neck, they had squeezed so hard that it pained you to even speak out aloud. Not to mention your broken hand. And the endless bandages that covered the majority of your body. You would survive this as well though; it really didn’t matter so much. Not for you at least. When you came out, you grabbed some backpacks that Jack had left on a corner for you and opening his wardrobe, you started packing all of his things carefully, your mind fast to wander off to other matters.  
  
How long had it been that you were in here? Three months? Four? The cold weather outside did inform you that winter was fast upon you, but you had completely lost any track of time in here. Maybe it was a good thing that you were leaving; maybe it meant that you were finally given a chance in a new beginning with Jack. But was it a good idea? Jack might be anxious –or at least you thought so since you were unable to read the emotionless man- to get you out of here, but did you really want to seclude him away from his kind without telling him one of your biggest secrets? Because you had hidden a certain thing from him, a thing that was going to change everything once it was revealed, so would you risk secluding the man for the rest of his time? Maybe you should try and talk to him to stay and just be really careful? You tightened your jaw in dismay. How would Jack react once he learns the whole truth? Would he be able to bare it, especially now that he just got part of his memories back? And would you live with the guilt that for your own sake, he turned his back to his kind and was left alone in the end?  
  
You didn’t know for sure and the thing is that you couldn’t decide on what to do either. And that was exactly what was driving you mad; never in your entire life where you the kind that was unable to make a decision, especially when it included the happiness of others. But for the first time, you found yourself leaning towards the selfish side, the side that would benefit your own self; you didn’t want to leave Jack, you wanted to stay by his side, even if you knew that this single action alone would cause him more harm than good in the long run. But you were unable to find the courage and do the right thing. Still, would you be able to bare the guilt of your actions? Only time would tell, and since you were moving into a different environment maybe the decision would deem itself easier after a while.  
  
With these thoughts running through your brain, you were so absorbed in them, that you never even heard the heavy footsteps that echoed from the corridor beyond the locked door, so when a hard knock sounded, you almost screamed out from your fear and surprise.  
  
Immediately, your brain went completely numb and trapped your whole body in the very same place you were, hands hovering above the half-filled backpacks and head turned to stare in absolute horror towards the door, like a deer in headlights. Your heart began to pound so loudly inside your chest that you practically felt the arrhythmia getting worse by each heartbeat it did and the excruciating pain started pounding against your chest hard, pressing your lungs and making it hard to breathe, as if a sledgehammer had just hit you in the very same spot. Cold sweat bathed you in milliseconds and your brain struggled to restart and place you out of harm’s way; you tried to control your breathing with all the sheer willpower you had and staying absolutely still, you tried to hear any indication that the person who stood outside the door was either coming in or leaving –honestly speaking, you would prefer the latter-. The hard knock was heard once again and you had to immediately throw a hand over your mouth to prevent yourself from screaming. Especially when you heard what followed the knock.  
  
‘C’mon, c’mon little mouse.’ A gruff voice chuckled ‘I know you are in there.’  
  
If your heart didn’t give out right at the sound of the man’s words, you didn’t know when it would. It wasn’t just fear that you felt as you heard the man’s voice, it was the complete insanity dripping down like a disease from each word he uttered, sounding like a true demon send from hell was standing right outside the door. Frantically, your eyes searched for the phial Jack had given you before he left and spotting it on the nightstand next to the bed, you pondered if you had enough time to grab it; maybe it would be a good idea to run and lock yourself up inside the lab, but did you have enough time to do so? No. Instead of going for the obviously safer options, you watched in horror as your brain decided to walk your body towards the door ever-so-carefully, with your conscience screaming bloody murder inside the voids of your mind and you being completely unable to do a single thing, as you leaned down and peeped through the keyhole, trying to get a glimpse out of the man that stood outside. It is a funny glitch when the brain fails to recognize the sheer danger and decides to walk towards it and it didn’t matter that you cursed it again and again.  
  
But you did saw something.  
  
You saw a black boot being raised and in the very next second, it landed hard against the wooden door.  
  
Without controlling it, you let out a piercing scream and literally throw yourself against the door, trying to keep it closed with everything you had and staring in horror as the blast it took was enough to bend it on the place it hit. It was right then that your brain was simply set ablaze and clenching your teeth, you put your everything in holding that damn door closed no matter what.  
  
‘Found you.’ the voice exclaimed triumphantly, with the smile that the intruder must have was plastered in his words.  
What followed next could literally be a scene from a true horror movie.  
  
Whoever was outside that damned door prepared himself and hit it once again, this time with everything he had. You were literally able to feel the collision of his boot with the piece of wood that divided you, which was so strong, it reached all the way through to you. The lock of the door didn’t withstand the sheer pressure and broke into small pieces, with the metallic item falling hard into the ground; yet, this was the least of your problems. Because the lock wasn’t the only thing that broke. The door broke along with it. You could only stare in pure and utter horror, as you saw the middle of the wooden door breaking into pieces and being catapulted against you, with the force put in breaking it, hitting you and ejecting you many steps back, only to lose your balance as you tried to protect your face from the sharp fragments, resulting into making you falling on the floor hard, right on your broken hand and fractured ribs. A piercing scream of pain left your lips, echoing on the small space and tears were quick to fill your eyes as you tried to chase the pain away and protect yourself. The instinct of self preservation woke up inside of you and you immediately tried to spot your attacker, locking stares with a pair of coal black eyes.  
  
It was at that time, that you screamed louder than ever before in your entire life.  
  
Honestly speaking, you were sure deep down that Jack had turned to the most horrific monster that nature had to offer, mainly because of his shark like teeth, coal black skin and his appetite for human organs. But you were wrong. All merciful God, you were so wrong to judge him like that. Because the man that was standing right in the threshold of the room, was far beyond any nightmare that was humanely possible to be created. He was tall, standing well at the height of 6’ 2’, with his body being muscular and lean, a bit more muscular than Jack’s. And he was utterly horrific. His burnt, coal black hair was reaching just until his shoulders, cut into various lengths messily and his skin was as white as a sheet of paper. But these were not the most terrifying of his characteristics. What made you scream was the complete lack of eyelids, making his insane stare able to pierce down into your very own soul, as well as the fact that he had a carved smile that reached far up each of his cheeks, oozing with red blood as he smiled a menacing smile of complete lunacy towards you, taking a bloody kitchen knife out of the pocket of his bloodstained hoodie.  
  
Tilting his head to the side and raising his knife, he smiles once again ‘Hello little mouse.’  
  
And then he charged against you.  
  
Screaming with all your might, rolling to your left side was all that you could do at the moment, ignoring the sheer pain that shot up from your broken parts and avoiding the knife that was aiming for your right eye for mere millimeters, hearing it pretty well as it came into contact with the wooden floor right beside you. You hear the man chuckle and as you turn your head to gaze at the knife, you feel a sturdy hand wrapping around your neck and squeezing so hard on your air pipes, that it cuts off your breathing immediately. You gasp desperately for air, tossing and turning like a mad woman under the man that had sat on your belly, trying your best to shake him off, at the same time that your right hand flew to your neck, trying to release his grip and allow you to breathe. All the pain resonating from your wounded body never reached your brain, since the survival instinct had completely taken over you.  
  
‘I see that Jack keeps the pretty ones all for himself. What do you say we have some nice quality time together you sl*t?’ the smiling man chuckles and retreating the knife, he brings it to your neck.  
  
But he had leaned too far close to you.  
  
Without spending one second to think better about it, you poke him right in his unblinking eyes with the fingers of your good hand.  
  
His own scream was the only sound that filled the silence of the room this time, as the knife fell from his grip and he leaned backwards, his hands flying to cover his eyes and giving you the edge you needed to kick him straight where the sun doesn’t shine. The man lets out an inaudible gasp, folding into two and falling to the side, giving you the ability to roll on your belly and using both of your hands, you try to stand up as fast as you can, ignoring the pain that was resonating throughout your whole existence. Instinctively, your eyes fixated on the phial with the liquid Jack gave you, so with your heart pounding hard inside your ears, you make a run for it, hearing the monstrous man growl like a true beast and attempt to catch you as you ran away. A scream of determination bursts through your lungs violently, as the adrenaline of the struggle courses through your veins like hot, liquid iron, fueling for the first time, a wild side of you which you never knew you had in the first place. You watch as your hands pop in front of you, trying to get the phial before it was too late, feeling the lidless man’s fingers literally brush through your hair, trying to grab you and stop you; it was already too late though.  
  
The moment your bruised fingers wrapped safely around the phial, a piercing cry of determination left your lips, the very same moment that you turned, opening the phial and throwing the liquid against the man. The transparent drops make their way both to his face and neck and upon impact, large wounds begin to appear. It took the man a single second to realize what had hit him, before a wild cry of pain made him retreat his hands and throw them over the wounds, desperately trying to wipe off the liquid and presenting you with the opportunity of a lifetime.  
  
You just had enough time to escape.  
  
Run towards the lab? No, he would break that door down as well.  
  
That left you with only one option.  
  
Clenching your jaw tightly, you step on the bed fast and make your way towards the only means of your salvation; at least you hoped that it would do you good. Because as you literally throw yourself on the corridor behind the now broken door, only one thought prevails inside your distressed mind.  
  
Survive.


	25. Chapter 25 Blackout

All you were able to hear, was your own heartbeat pounding weakly inside your ears. It was a strange, fleeting sound, like the heartbeat belonging to a small bird that was wounded and struggling with all the sheer willpower that was left inside its small body to survive; to push itself to its limits and surpass them, all in a desperate try to live and see the daylight shining over the tall mountain peaks, to hear the water running through the luxurious forest and feel the air rushing under its wings as it flies as far up as it can, all in a desperate attempt to touch freedom’s silver lining. If you thought about it, it was rather strange that inside the nightmarish situation which posed the most severe threat you had ever came across in all your life, you were able to hear the faint heartbeat, look pass the shots of pain that threatened to make you fall down and scream till your lungs gave out; the sound was kind of comforting, like an old friend that had returned to help you take the first step into a journey that would definitely be the very last one you would have.  
  
Why?  
  
Because you had just decided to seal your very own fate; you had just decided to practically kill your own self by running out of the room which protected you and was now invaded by a ruthless, monstrous killer and run out to the rest of the house which consisted of these entities. Let’s face it: after the man that invaded the room and even looking back to what Jack had become, you were more than simply sure that the killing entities which occupied the house were nothing along the lines of human. How you felt about it, if this particular fact scared you more or not, you weren’t sure yourself, since all that prevailed inside your mind at this fatal hour, was your pounding will to survive. To get the hell out of here and escape from this nightmare; and your body was obeying your every command for the first time.  
  
It didn’t matter that you practically felt your broken ribs melting inside your chest from the pain which resonated from them, it didn’t matter that your bruised from the kicks belly was contracting and making your breath hitch; it didn’t even matter that your broken hand was curled up in a tight fist despite the pain. All that mattered was your own two feet, which were taking one step after another and another, advancing forward and practically ejecting you to run with all your might inside the narrow corridor with the sea of closed doors passing by you. Pain was literally the only thing that was offered by your own body to feel and at the same time the only thing that was completely cut off from your brain, since the forests of your mind were set ablaze by the single scream which ordered you to run; it was pounding along with your heart, filling up the spaces of both your unconscious and conscious mind, being raised to meet with your very own troubled heartbeats. If you had any other choice, you were just unable to find out; all you could do, was obey and run. Run as fast as you can.  
  
The ground that spread under your feet was the perfectly steady footing you needed to do just that. Even if it was made of a worn out wood, appearing almost bluish black under the complete lack of any windows which only enabled the darkness to prevail regardless of the bright winter day outside, it made it hard to see where you were going, but still let you know where the holes in the floor were; not too big for you to fall inside, but big enough to trap your unsuspecting feet and break them. And you couldn’t afford not being able to run at this point. You feet hurried down the hallway, as you ran and never looked back, your steps reverberating like gunshots inside the death-like silence that prevailed. A sea of closed and locked wooden doors spread on both sides of the corridor, appearing black and menacing, holding inside even more monsters than what you could handle. You dared not open not even a single one of them; say it’s the smell of death that was hovering in the air, so thick that you could practically grasp it, able to make your stomach turn and your conscience struggling not to hurl, or the screaming instincts inside your head, the idea never even crossed your mind. Deep down, you knew that opening one of the doors could easily lead to a pile of rotting corpses and tormented souls that still plagued these walls and if that was the case, all hope for survival would be lost.  
  
That, and the fact that the man who broke into Jack’s room was hot on your tracks.  
  
At first you knew that it took him a little bit to realize what you had just done to him –that you, a mere human, had dared to fight him back even with unfair methods-, providing yourself with some precious few seconds to distance yourself from him as much as you could, before you heard a loud, animalistic scream of pure hate and malice, followed by the violent vibrations that resonated with each threatening step he took behind you, his boots landing against the floor and catapulting him against you. Giving in to your curiosity and terror, you turned only for a single moment to see how far behind he was and immediately screamed with all the power your injured lungs could give you, as you saw him running after you –bloody kitchen knife at hand- with his unblinking eyes fixated solely on you. This was what your brain needed to quicken your steps even more. Even if he wasn’t that close to you, you could still feel his hot, disgusting breath grazing the back of your neck, sending shivers of pure horror down your spine, you could feel his hands wrapping around you ready to shred you to pieces, his knife pushing your skin, ready to plunge itself inside your delicate skin. Paranoia and despair had started to take over you long ago.  
  
‘COME BACK HERE YOU B!TCH!’ you heard his deranged voice scream, exactly when you ejected yourself out of the corridor and stopped right in front of a few banisters that lead to a grand staircase.  
  
A strong wave of relief pierced your heart, when you gazed over the stairs, only to see the small space of an entrance hall. The big door was standing among two brightly lit windows, which allowed the rich sunlight rush inside and offer you a clear view to the outside, through their almost transparent curtains. On the left side of the room rested a worn out living room and on the right a dining room. If you went down the stairs, and managed to reach that door without getting caught by the deranged man, you would be able to escape this hellhole once and for all.  
  
Or at least you hoped so…  
  
Still, the relief you felt was shortly brushed away when your gaze fell on the opposite side of the staircase, across where you were standing.  
  
And suddenly, the man running behind you was not your only problem.  
  
There were two other men standing on the space across from you, one leaning casually against the wall, having folded his hands under his chest and the other one standing right across from him. As the eternally smiling man’s voice reverberates like a gunshot through the close space, both heads turn towards you and you can’t help but let out a piercing scream the moment their eyes fall on you. The man leaning against the wall must have surely been around his early twenties, maybe only nineteen years old just like you. He had short, messy, chestnut brown hair that were falling loosely over his ears, brushed towards the left side in a clear attempt to be tamed and only ending up protruding towards every possible direction. He was a bit taller than you and definitely shorter than Jack and he was just as pale as the white wall behind him. He was wearing a pair of orange goggles which kind of altered the real color of his eyes under the lens and a mouthpiece was hanging loosely under his chin. There were two things frightening on this man; first, it was the pair of bloody hatchets hanging from each side of his waist, the blood dripping down to stain the floor and secondly, the left side of his mouth, up until the middle of his cheek was all chewed in, revealing his dentition and gums that were underneath.  
  
The other one was around your own height and was clearly the exact opposite from the first man. He was apparently around twenty-three or older –from all that you could see- with dark brown hair that were neatly brushed to the right side; he was well-build, with broad shoulders and sturdy chest, but wasn’t all that muscular from what you could see. His face was covered completely by a white mask with black markings that gave it a more feminine vibe and looking straight at where his eyes should be, you could swear you caught a glimpse of brown eyes.  
  
From the way they were standing against each other, you could swear that they were just interrupted from a huge fight, hearing the man’s yell and turning to see what was happening, but to tell you the truth, you didn’t tag along to learn whatsoever, as you took a right turn and started literally flying down the stairs, three steps at a time –all at the same time being careful not to fall down.  
  
‘STOP HER, SHE IS A F*CKING HUMAN!’ the man screamed behind you yet again, but you had long ago jumped the last steps that remained.  
  
Your hands immediately shot up to grab the doorknob with everything you had, twisting it with all the power you could produce. To your ultimate horror, the door didn’t even move an inch and as reality kicked in, you realized that it was locked. Locked. You were trapped. Still, before your brain was able to process all the information and come up with a possible plan, a slight movement caught your eye and your head turned to your right, only for you to let out another piercing scream.  
  
There, on the dining room, stood the most horrifying clown you had ever seen in your entire life. He was tall, way taller than both you and Jack and he was deprived from any possible color. He had medium long coal black hair that reached down to his chin and were so rough, that reminded you of a mop, followed by a pair of grey eyes, black lips and…. Oh my God….was that a cone nose?! As your eyes took in all the information at once, you realized that he was dressed in an outdated clown costume that was still black and white, with bandages wrapped around his stomach and unusually prolonged hands which were holding…..a little girl! The existence of the small, unprotected girl almost threw you off balance, making you take a small step towards their direction, wanting to save her from her potential killer. That was, until your eyes blinked and for the first time, you saw the girl for who she really was.  
  
She had long, curly brown hair that cascaded down her small frame to reach her back and she had the most stunning green eyes you had ever seen; she was wearing a little pink dress that was torn on the edges and she was covered from head to toe in blood, which was dripping down her face constantly. Her curious eyes studied you with excitement, but you were harshly brought back to reality when you saw the unblinking man starting to come down the stairs.  
  
‘STOP HER!’ he screamed, but it was already late for pretty much anyone to grab you.  
  
Your head turned towards the window on your left.  
  
Your brain focused, pushing away the information about where you were and who was after you, focusing solely on the window.  
  
Adrenaline rushed through your veins in abundance, fueling your aching heart dangerously, making the pain resonating through your chest almost unbearable.  
  
You ignored it and inhaled deeply.  
  
The glass of the window shattered into a million pieces and your fragile body landed inside a mayhem of broken glass and wood, painful result of your decision to throw yourself against the window. What were you supposed to do? It was the only way out since the door was locked and the killers were closing in to you. The glass wounded your exposed hands and feet severely, gracing you with various new wounds and cuts as you struggled to get up, to get up and run, run far away from this hellish place.  
  
The shimmering broken glass matched perfectly with the newly fallen snow of the bright day outside and the cold air penetrated your skin from every possible direction, making both your failing heart and your wounds worse, far worse than they should be. Trying your best to keep your legs from further damage, you can clearly hear the commotion coming from inside the house and ignoring the dripping blood from your wounds, you get up, letting out a pained growl and start running once again. The open garden and forest are spreading right in front of you as you catapult yourself on the snow, stepping on it the exact same time that the front door of the house bursts open. You ignore both it and the coldness and you focus solely on getting inside the woods as fast as you can, praying that this was the right thing to do.  
  
Behind you, more voices resonate and yell indistinctly making the fact that they are hot on your tracks so clear, that you don’t need to look back to see. Tears of utter horror bubble on the edges of your eyes and you try to blink them away.  
  
And then is when you see it…  
  
No, no it…. _him._  
  
The flash of the all too familiar navy blue registers inside your mind like an extremely hot iron and for the second time in your life, you are so glad that you see Jack, that a huge smile graces your face, as a sob bursts through your lungs.  
  
‘JACK! JACK!!!’  
  
The man was just coming out of the trees, leaving behind him the protective shadows of the forest and entering the clear field of the gardens, his head looking downwards in a gesture that you knew meant he was thinking deeply. For a split second, your mind realized that he looked rather calm and relaxed, meaning he was able to fulfill all the chores he had in mind before you moved out and you sadly admitted to yourself that with how things ended up, you wouldn’t even had the chance to live together. So, when your voice echoed through the silence and reached him, his head perked up in confusion as the moment his eyeless stare fell on your running, bloodied figure, you saw him tilt his head to the side before his shoulders straighten in the very next second, his hands leaving his pockets –scalpel at hand- when he finally noticed why you were outside and who was chasing after you. From your point, you only flailed your hands in the air, allowing the tears to cascade your face as you ran for your life.  
  
‘JACK THEY’RE AFTER ME! HELP ME! HEL-‘  
  
Suddenly, your voice was drowned away. The luxurious sound of your voice was completely erased from the passing wind, allowing the bone-chilling silence of the day take up the lost space, making a shiver of complete surprise mixed with horror go down Jack’s spine. Suddenly, you were not running anymore, but your feet came to a stop right in the middle of the huge space with you, Jack and your pursuers freezing on spot at the sight of your immovable figure. Why you had stopped? At first, your brain was unable to process the sudden information, allowing you to think clearly: you were still being pursued by murderous entities that wanted to kill you in every torturous way they could muster up. You had managed to get out and out of a pure miracle, find Jack, your only means in a mere possibility of salvation, yet what had your body done? It stopped. It simply stopped right in the middle of the white meadow, leaving you to hear to your racing breathing that was the only thing sounding right now; like on cue, all nature seized its movements and sounds, as if the whole world was holding its breath. There was something different; you could feel it. But what was it?  
  
It was right then that you noticed.  
  
The sound of your breathing was the only thing that reached your ears. Your heartbeat had completely seized. All this time, from the moment the lidless man attacked you, your chest was resonating and pounding with the pure pain that pushed your failing heart to its limits and now, after all the things that happened, it finally stopped. Without controlling it, you feel your hand fly up to cover the spot your heart was located under, as your lips half opened to say something, really say anything to Jack who was watching in horror until his instincts kicked in and he started running towards you with all the speed he had in him, but instead of words, a waterfall of black blood choked you, falling and staining the pure white snow underneath your feet, only to be met by your knees that gave away under you, making you kneel.  
  
Your eyes never closed, but darkness engulfed you.  
  
  


  
**~ * ~**

  
  
  
Everything had worked out perfectly fine for Jack in his attempt to prepare the new house. He was extremely careful not to be followed as he ventured through the woods and towards it, he had cleaned the whole place up and prepared the necessary things that would be needed in order to safely move ____ into it and his small underground lab consisted of the most essential things in order to allow him to treat you if need be- which he sincerely hoped it wouldn’t but with your broken heart no one was really able to tell. When he was finally done and checked his work, he could only smile faintly under his mask in front of all the work he had done; now, the only thing that remained was getting you out of the mansion undetected and the both of you would be able to pick things up in a safer environment for you. That of course, if you excluded Jack himself, however that was an unavoidable evil. Everything was perfect and you would be really happy to see all the things he had prepared.  
  
Yet, why did he feel uneasy?  
  
If anything, Jack was unable to feel even the slightest bit of worry up until nowadays, yet at the moment, there was a weird feeling twisting and turning his guts unpleasantly, making him frown and rush to leave the house. Maybe he was just being paranoid because he left you back all alone, but he just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to happen off from his shoulders; he had checked the woods as he was walking here; there was no sign of the Master lurking around so it was safe to say that he was occupied far away from here. So what was it? Whatever was the feeling of dread that had made its way into his stomach, the man pondered over it in all the way back to the mansion, his feet leading the way mechanically, accustomed to the years of walking towards the same direction.  
  
‘JACK!!!’  
  
Jack was so engulfed in his own thoughts that he barely heard you screaming his name from across the gardens of the mansion. Surprised, he looked up to meet with your horrified (e/c) orbs as you were currently running towards him at full speed, flailing your hands in the air in a desperate attempt to get his attention. What the hell were you doing out here? Didn’t he precisely say that you were not to leave his room under any circumstances? Then why are-  
  
If Jack was still mortal after all this time, his own heart would have stopped in front of the image of you running away from the mansion, with Jeff hot on your tracks and some of the mansion’s residents standing at the threshold. It was truly a scene out of Jack’s most dreadful nightmare from the moment he realized who you were and what you meant to him. Cold sweat instantly bathed him and he took his scalpel out of his pocket to rush by your side immediately and defend you with everything he had, even if that meant going up against all of them. But once again, you managed to surprise him unpleasantly; the moment he was ready to run up at you, you simply stopped. You simply seized all of your movements and remained still right in the middle of the field. All bystanders, including himself where struck by surprise, but Jack was faster than anyone to see what was wrong; he didn’t need the black blood that dripped down from your mouth, alerting him that you were coughing up his own blood, to know what was happening. Because the silence coming from your part was enough evidence.  
  
Your heart was stopping.  
  
‘_______!!!’ he screamed, long before he managed to realize what he was doing.  
  
His body acted up out of its own volition, ejecting him as fast as possible forward and towards you, a magnetic pull that was so strong, as it was desperate. It didn’t matter that the rest of the killers were watching, it didn’t matter that he had just admitted that you belonged to him; all that really mattered was getting you close to him right now. He could clearly see your eyes starting to become hazy, your knees subsiding and making you kneel on the snow, but before you had the chance to fall completely down, his sturdy hands were wrapping around you protectively as his body followed yours on the soft snow, his face searching yours through the mask to see any indication of consciousness. There was none. Your eyes were staring back at his empty own, but there was no fire behind them, no spirit resting and making them alive; your heart was taking a few, very faint beats, too slow to keep you alive.  
  
Without a moment’s hesitation, he lays you back on the snow and reaching for the special injection that he always had on him since he met you, he raises his hand in the air and stabs you right in the heart with the serum of adrenaline mixed with the right medicine for your condition. The transparent liquid enters your system immediately, only for Jack to place his hands above your heart and start to compress again and again, trying to help both your heart begin to beat once again and the serum to spread through your system and help you, all at the same time with calling your name and literally begging you to hold on. One, two, three, the man presses again and again, his movements becoming desperate with the passing minutes and your unresponsiveness.  
  
It was at the very same moment that you cough up another round of black blood and Jack realizes you had trouble breathing. His hands fly to your head, leaning it back and lifting the chin forward to clear your airway, only for a choking sound to come out; you were drowning inside your own blood and if he wanted to save you he had to do something and do that something fast. Without a single moment’s hesitation, Jack reaches for his mask with one of his hands, proceeding to literally rip it off from his face and throw it mindlessly back, before he closed your nose, inhaled deeply and connected his lips with your own.  
  
His breath immediately fills your lungs, reaching deep down into your chest and filling it with the all too precious air which was needed for survival, an action that was repeated once again before Jack returned into giving you another round of compressions, all at the same time talking to you to come back, to breathe and wake up. It took the man two whole minutes that seemed like a true eternity of helping your heart beat and breathing for you, before he heard the sharp sound of your lungs filling with air on their own and your heart starting to beat once again.  
  
‘Finally! Come on _____, breathe.’ He whispered, picking your torso up to enclose you into his sturdy embrace, relieved beyond any comprehension.  
  
It was only after your revival that any logical thinking returned to him and he looked up, only to meet with the surprised glares of his comrades to realize what had just happened.  
  
The secret about you was out.


	26. Chapter 26 Exile

  
  
What had happened to you, you had absolutely no idea; where you were currently, was another matter that you knew nothing about. For your rather hot-blooded nature, the state of ignorance was not so typical and once you found yourself in it, your brain was struggling all on its own to produce the necessary answers to all of your questions. Like now for example. Right now, you were under the faint awareness that you were lying against a comfortable surface; right now, your eyes were indeed open yet your vision could only see an endless haze of white lights which were ever-so-often disturbed by some faint shadow that danced on the edges of your vision, passing closely enough for your blurry eyes to pick up. It was your consciousness that was drifting in and out of awareness, threatening to pull you back into the darkness but you tried as hard as you could to focus right in front of you and remember what had happened. Because the need for you to remember, seemed like a matter of life and death.  
  
Due to this, you slowly but steadily began to feel other things as well; like a heavy weight pressing against your chest, making it all too hard to inhale the precious air that would give you clarity, as well as the throbbing pain on your knees and the burning inside your neck that was as if you had swallowed hot coal. For a moment, you didn’t know why or how you acquired these injuries but as your brain focused, all of your memories came flashing back right before your very own eyes. The packing, the broken door, the smiling man, the chase for your life, the window, the field, Jack and last but not least, your failing heart. In front of the magnitude of the wave your memories produced in a mere flash, your back makes a perfect arc and your lungs inhale the cool air violently, your parched throat burning you more and more as you try to ignore it and call out for Jack with everything you had. Yes, your voice came out barely above a desperate whisper and despite your attempts to move, everything was hurting you and moving very slowly; this only served to panic you more, especially when your body tilted to the side and your were taken aback to notice that there was no bed left, resulting into seeing the blurry pavement coming your way.  
  
Something flashed under you.  
  
Two sturdy hands wrapped carefully around your small waist, pulling you against a toned chest and holding you like you were the most breakable thing in existence, as you frantically tried to blink away the blurriness and freaking out all at the same time, struggling inside the steal embrace.  
  
‘It is alright ______ you are safe; I am right here.’ The deep, familiar voice knocked the air out of your lungs as you gazed up, only to see the blurry face of Jack looking back at you with his empty eye sockets.  
  
‘…J-Jack?’ you voice sounded weak even to you.  
  
Gently, the man helped you lie back on the bed and as the last traces of blurriness left your eyes, you were able to gaze upon his even face which was betraying no emotion whatsoever, but to your skilled brain, you were able to pick up a faint tint of worry staining his majestic characteristics as he paced up and down, trying to make sure you are okay and offering you a big glass of water, which you downed in one go, feeling the smooth liquid melting away the hot lava that had rested inside your neck.  
  
‘There is no need to worry; we are safe inside my lab for now. Care to explain what happened to you?’  
  
His voice was cold and seemingly fell on your skin like more water, making you shiver unwillingly.  
  
‘The smiling man came barging in the moment you left; he broke the door and attacked me, I tried to fight him back but eventually ran out of the room. I-I screwed up didn’t I?’ you hiss the last part, as he places a cotton ball which was drenched in disinfectant on your wounds acquired by when you went through the window.  
  
He nodded ‘No, I am surprised you managed to get out of the house in the first place.’ He commented ‘I should not have left you alone.’  
  
In his words, silence falls among you, with him trying to tend to your wounds and you looking around you curiously, only noticing right now that you were back into his lab; all the shelves and counters were empty of course and the door was bolted shut, with any heavy item inside the room pulled right in front of it to prevent pretty much everyone from coming inside. But right now, you weren’t so sure that even those measures would be enough.  
  
‘Who was the one that attacked me?’ you ask Jack long before you had the chance both to realize it and stop yourself.  
  
His movements pause for a split second, before a small sigh comes out from his lips ‘His name is Jeff The Killer. He is one of the creatures that reside in here, like myself.’  
  
You had never heard of that name in your life and judging from your recent experience with him, maybe for a good reason as well ‘Are you sure the door will remain closed?’  
  
If Jack had eyes, you were pretty sure that he would be rolling them ‘For now, I believe so. We have to get out of here in the very next hours, before the sun goes down and before our Master learns about you.’  
  
‘But they already know about me, aren’t they going to come after us no matter where we run to? We are no longer safe anymore.’  
  
You could clearly feel the adrenaline starting to pump hard inside your chest, filling your heart and your brain like the strongest poison known to mankind, more and more with all the passing seconds and the dawning of what you had done by walking out of that mere door, of exposing yourself to the whole house of killers and murderous creatures and to tell the truth to yourself, you were even more freaked out to notice that Jack was still sticking with his calm and cold demeanor, like the whole place wasn’t on fire. Hell, the whole place could go up on fire and the man would still be calm and collected. Couldn’t he see the danger of the situation you were in? why wasn’t he freaking out for God’s sake?!  
  
‘No matter what happens, I will protect you. Also, they will be risking far more than simply their health if they do so much as to touch a single hair of your head; I am the only one along the lines of a doctor and most of them require my help frequently. Imagine what will happen if they hurt you.’  
  
‘This doesn’t help too much you know; I am still a human that knows about you.’ you practically yell frantically at him, trying keep your hand under control and not slap him across the face.  
  
‘Hyperventilating is not going to do you any good; especially when we’ll need to get out of here.’ He comments evenly.  
  
‘And you being so calm is not helping me either?! Aren’t you worried?’ you demand to know.  
  
‘I am worried.’  
  
‘Then stop being so cool about it! And what the hell is this crackling sound?! Can’t you make it stop?!’ you yell, your hands –wounded or not- flying to cover your ears.  
  
It was a truly penetrating, unnerving and loud crackling sound, reminding you of what static sounded like when a radio was broken or unable to be tuned to a station right; it pierced through the air like an arrow and reached all the way inside your brain, making it hurt no much, that you covered your ears in a desperate try to protect it from the sound. There was no other sound that could match it both in magnitude or hellishness and the more the excruciating seconds passed, seemingly like eons, the more it was becoming stronger and stronger, reaching a certain point where you were no longer able to both see clearly or talk, surrendering yourself inside the pain it caused you, like a hot needle that was piercing your ear in order to reach your brain through it. Whatever Jack was saying right beside you, his words never reached your ears as you leaned forward and screamed on top of your lungs, your voice grazing the walls of your neck hard and injuring you, yet it never seemed to reach you as your body fell back at the medical bed and convulsed hard, as if the sound alone was able to give you seizures.  
  
All you could truly do was watch. Watch in desperation as your eyes nailed themselves out of pure instinct on the heavily bolted door, like you expected it to burst open at any given time. Jack was coming and going from beside you, picking you up and trying to wipe out the blood that was coming out of your nose and your ears, yelling incoherently to you and the only thing your brain wished for, was for the pain to stop; to pass and never come back again, as you bled out more and more blood.  
  
It was right then that you noticed it…  
  
No, not it…  
  
Them.  
  
There were six black… things… coming out through the sides of the lab door, sliding among the cracks and trying to slither their way in and through the whole pain and static you were hearing, it took you a few moments to realize that they were something along the lines of tentacles. They came though the sides, sliding over the wood, making you wonder how the hell did they manage that. Your field of vision was immediately changed as you realized Jack was placing you down on the floor, before stepping right in front of you; with the need to look up absent since you knew whatever the thing that was trying to get inside was, it had shortly send him into a battle position to protect both himself and you; still you had a clear view to the door as it was being tied up by the tentacles until you saw them making a sharp move and the wood shattered into millions of pieces, revealing someone standing behind them.  
  
The moment that happened, three things occurred simultaneously.  
  
Jack yelled something loudly.  
  
The static subsided just enough to enable you to hear his muffled voice.  
  
And you saw the creature.  
  
There are some things that walk on this planet or can/cannot happen, that the brain will be completely able to understand and come in terms with, embracing their existence as part of nature itself and on the other side, there are things which nobody even dares to pose the question of their possible existence, shuddering from the terror in the mere thought of them. And the creature that was making its way inside the lab right now, its tall body reaching till the ceiling and even then hunching a bit in order to fit inside, was truly something out of an utter nightmare. It appeared as if it was a man; its characteristics, with the lean body and shoulders as well as the black suit, betrayed that whatever the hell the thing was, it could be classified as a male; yet, this was the only thing that even shared a resemblance with humans. Other than that, the creature had prolonged arms and legs and was extremely thin, having a completely white complexion. Yet, all of its monstrous characteristics paled in comparison to its face; because as your eyes finally reached all the way up to gaze onto it, a bloodcurdling scream left your lips; the thing had no face. No eyes, no nose, no mouth. Just blank white skin with complete lack of any facial features whatsoever.  
  
The moment it walked inside the room, its blank face nailed itself to you, immediately making you scream your lungs out, something that was interrupted only when you tilted to the side and coughed up a mouthful of blood that was a mixture of both your own and Jack’s. Static filled the room once again, but this time it was a bit different.  
  
‘She is mine Slender. I will not allow you anywhere near her.’ Jack’s voice filled your ears as well and you turned towards him, only to see the creature doing the same.  
  
Static flashed once again and Jack took a step back.  
  
‘No rules were broken; she is mine and mine alone. I know very well that she is a mere human, but I will decide if she gets to live or not.’ The man stood his ground still.  
  
There was a strange thing in the way Jack spoke, like he was answering questions that were never posed in the first place by the creature. Yet, as the Tall Man continued to gaze upon Jack, your brain managed to clear up enough to understand another strange thing; the different kind of static which was sounding all around you was both not as unpleasant as before, but it was also able to connect with certain words inside your mind each time, making it look like the creature was somehow speaking directly into your brains. Looking up at Jack, even if you were unable to see his face, it was clear that whatever the thing was saying, he was both listening very carefully and answering. Still, his ready-for-action posture and his hand that was tightening with all his might around his scalpel did nothing but allow shivers to travel down your spine.  
  
You would take a wild guess and say that this creature was probably, the Leader of all the monsters inside the house.  
  
‘I am perfectly aware of the risks hidden in bringing humans in here, yet I chose to have her for my very own satisfaction and use. It is also known that in the past, you allowed such comforts to other residents as well. There is no way for her to pose any danger into our hidden existence, since there is no way for her to escape me. If she does try, even once, I will oblige to the rules and kill her Slender.’ Jack informed, his voice adamantly unwavering.  
  
_Hitherto, she did try to escape._  
  
This time, you were able to pick up the full sentence that was lying inside the static. The voice of the Man made you shudder even more, yet your panic which flooded through your whole existence was interrupted by Jack’s voice.  
  
‘I am aware of that and I will punish her accordingly. Still, it was Jeff that chased her in the first place; I had specifically ordered her to come and find me if such thing happened.’  
  
_Eyeless Jack, there is nothing that can justify your reckless actions. You have placed us all in grave danger by exposing our existence to a mere human and thus, I will not overlook the rules. They are unchanging and you will be punished accordingly while the human will be immediately executed._  
  
‘No pleas-‘  
  
‘I will not let you touch her Slender. You will have to go through me to get her.’ Jack interrupts you as the Tall Man takes a step forward, draining what was left of the blood on your face.  
  
He was going to attack Jack! You had to do something and do something fast! But what?!  
  
Jack raised his scalpel.  
  
 _You were reckless Eyeless Jack._  
  
‘She is not a threat to us and you know that.’ Jack yells back, his voice finally laced with anger.  
  
_How can you be sure about such a thing?_  
  
‘Because I am already dying!!!’  
  
It was as if a bomb had gone off right then and there and no one was sure from where it came from. Suddenly, the static sound seized to exist whatsoever and dead-like silence took over the small, almost destroyed room of Jack’s laboratory, making you absolutely positive that you were able to hear your very own broken heartbeat pounding against your ears so loudly, that the two men who surrounded you were able to hear it loud and clear as well. What had happened? Oh yes. You had spoken up. What did you say?.....oh no……nonononononononono! You were NOT! supposed to say what you said! Why?! Why?! Mentally, you wanted to punch yourself so hard, you would land on the f*cking moon; honestly, you would prefer it much more than the view you had on Jack right now, whose back straightened in the sound of your words and his whole posture became so rigid, as if he had just turned into a statue; it was the reality of your words settling in inside the mind of the man, who at first didn’t even believe what he heard. Tears started welling on the edges of your eyes, fast to cascade your bruised cheeks as your hands flew to cover your mouth, the very same moment the two men turned to gaze at your crying form. Still, all you managed to do was cry even harder, regretting not only allowing these words to leave your lips, but for the sin of searching for Jack even after you knew the truth about yourself. How were you able to do this to him?  
  
One thing was sure right now though; the truth about you was finally out.  
  
‘W..what did you say?’  
  
It was Jack’s voice that broke the thick silence for the first time, his voice barely above a surprised whisper; you felt his gaze burning your face away, but all you did was clench your jaw tightly, pick yourself up and pin your eyes on the empty face of the Tall Man. This was it; the cat was out of the bag and right now, it was all or nothing. You were facing the man head on, if that meant protect Jack.  
  
‘All I said was that I am already dying.’ You repeated yourself, clenching your fists with determination ‘I will not pose any danger to your kind whatsoever because first, I am dying and secondly, it is in your kind that Jack belongs. As for me, I have been diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis since I was fifteen, the same year that Jack disappeared and came over to your side. I have been battling it and the sudden cardiac arrests until now but before I came to the college from which Jack abducted me, the doctors said that I was in immediate need for a transplant since I only had six to eight months left to live. As you can already see, I turned down the transplant. Now, after three months in Jack’s captivity, I have three to four months left to live.’  
  
No one spoke after you and you downright ignored Jack who was now glaring daggers at the side of your face, clearly unable to believe his own ears. Yet, you had said nothing but the truth.  
  
_Child, is all this true?_ The Tall Man spoke.  
  
You nodded ‘You can check if you want. All I ask is to be allowed to spend my remaining days alongside my childhood friend and the only one I consider family. When the four months are over, you can check for yourself if I  
am dead or not. That way, you can keep your one and only doctor as well. What do you say?’  
  
Keeping your gazed fixed on the faceless man, you knew all too well that he was taking the things you said in deep consideration and thought; his silence and the complete lack of any static noise betrayed so much. Like the silence from Jack’s part betrayed that he was still processing the truth. It broke your heart in million little pieces to know that you had finally found him, only to leave him again and to tell you the truth, you didn’t even had the strength inside of you to raise your head and gaze into his beautiful face in order to see what he thought, how he reacted to the revelation. Instead, you kept your head down, allowing the quiet sobs to shake your body from the within, hearing the sound of your own heart cracking and breaking for a different reason than your condition.  
  
When Slenderman finally spoke, it felt like eons had passed by you.  
  
_Very well. I shall allow it but in four months I will come to take your soul. Eyeless Jack and _____ ______, the two of you must leave the premises of my house within the next hour. You are therefore exiled._  
  


**~ * ~**

Even if Jack was standing right by your side, the mansion continued to be far more terrifying than you would like to admit. The two of you were walking down the narrow, wooden corridor, trying to make your way to the front door and with you doing your best not to pay attention to the various nightmarish inhabitants who were making their appearance from every possible corner and door in order to watch and comment about the peculiar extravaganza of a human walking these hallways while being fully alive and escorted by a ruthless killer of their own kind.  
  
Both you and Jack had passed the most part of the hour that followed Slenderman’s departure trying to pack whatever was left behind, while failing to exchange even the slightest of words. Your tears had long ago dried out, but Jack’s mood never seemed to alter neither towards the worse nor the better, leaving the man an empty shell to wander around doing all the chores that where required in the autopilot mode. No matter how much you tried to figure out anything, he didn’t say nor betrayed anything; something that was hurting you a lot me than if he was screaming at you. Pestering thoughts about the exile from the household and whether this was the best possible scenario for the both of you passed from your mind. Maybe you should have just given yourself up and allowed Slenderman to end your life, rather than allow Jack to lose the only home he had found peace inside. And yes, you felt terrible for hiding the truth from him. No matter how much you tried to explain to him though, he only shrugged you off by saying that you had to hurry. The only thing you were sure that you would be unable to live with though, was the thought that Jack would hate you for ruining everything.  
  
If only you hadn’t found him.  
  
If only you had died that first time you had a heart-attack.  
  
Going down the stairs and allowing a short glance around, you saw many of your already familiar murderers looking up to you, as you and Jack made your way to the front door, carrying with you what was left of your belongings; maybe it wasn’t such a normal thing for someone to be exiled from this house, or maybe they just wanted to make sure you were gone and as far away as you could from them. Maybe they waited for the moment you would step outside in order to kill you on the spot.  
  
‘You are really pretty!’ a childish voice tore you away from your thoughts and you looked down only to see the browned haired girl with the green eyes which you had seen earlier that morning. She was smiling brightly to you despite the blood that was still cascading her small face.  
  
‘Don’t scare her Sally.’ Jack murmured to the child calmly, only to receive an exaggerated pout.  
  
‘I only wanted to give her this.’ she says and pulls an anemone flower, offering it to you with a huge smile.  
  
At first you were taken aback ‘F-for me?’  
  
‘Of course silly!’ she responds, smiling even brighter.  
  
‘T-thank you.’ you say, taking the blue flower in your hands and seeing the girl being picked up by another girl that appeared out of nowhere.  
  
The small girl threw her hands lovingly around her neck and you just stared in horror towards the elder girl, who wrapped her hands around Sally in a protective, motherly way; she must have been around your own age, standing at the proud height of 5’ 6’, with fierce scarlet red hair which formed lively curls and skin so white that could easily pass as a ghost, something that was even more enhanced by the torn witch costume she was wearing. Her eyes were a pure nightmare in the shade of vivid orange with the sclera completely black, making them shine like two orange gems. Two scars were cascading each of her eyes, starting from her lower eyebrows and reaching all the way down to her jaw, with the flesh still hanging open on the edges of her skin, like someone had shredded her skin in half. Her face betrayed no emotion, even when she kissed the little girl’s hair.  
  
‘Why did you give the anemone to her Sally?’ Jack pulled you out of your thoughts and made you look away from the red-headed girl, who was now staring at you coldly.  
  
‘Why else?!’ the small girl giggled ‘Because she is already dead.’  
  
Jack went completely rigid to her words and instead of offering an answer, he passed his hand to your waist in a manner that was both protective and possessive and led you to the front door, opening it and allowing you to pass to the front porch. The cold of the winter enveloped you immediately and as you stared at the forest’s premises, one thing crossed your mind.  
  
This was the beginning of the exile.


	27. Chapter 27 The Fallen Ones

You and Jack were walking for hours.  
  
The endless pine forest that surrounded you from every possible corner continued to tower above you like a silent enemy who waited for the perfect opportunity to strike you both dead, as you made your way further and further inside of it, with you following close behind Jack. The shadows that lurked around the tree trunks appeared darker than they should be, considering the fact that the sun was still high on the cloudy firmament, offering his strong rays of light in abundance. You had absolutely no idea where you were going. Trusting the man completely, you allowed him to walk in front of you, following a certain path that only he could see and with your feet sinking on the purely white snow underneath. And most importantly, you asked no questions whatsoever. The penetrating cold was piercing through your clothes and reaching all the way down to your very own bones, freezing you with the passing seconds and making you deploy all of your willpower as to not allow your teeth to clatter with one another; it was a task easier said than done and in a desperate attempt to warm yourself up, you had wrapped your hands safely around your form. You could as well hug Jack for some warmth… that was if only the man didn’t have a dark, ominous aura surrounding his tall figure and his body was more relaxed, something that right now, was the last thing you would say about the man.  
  
You didn’t have to be a medium to know what he was thinking.  
  
Clearly, the news about your very limited lifespan hit the man like a concrete wall straight to the face; it wasn’t all too easy to hear that you had found your best friend in the whole wide world in order to lose her permanently a few months later. So it was only natural for him to be pissed off. As for your point of view, you wanted to start running with all your might and continue running until either your heart gives out or your feet can’t keep you up anymore; inside all of this situation, and especially after what happened in the last 24 hours, you couldn’t help but think that you were the cause of Jack’s misfortune in the very first place. If it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t have to move out of the mansion, he wouldn’t have to be exiled from his every own home that accepted him after the alteration of his nature and most importantly, he wouldn’t have to be broken when you would finally die; he wouldn’t have to watch you die.  
  
All those thoughts were running wild inside your mind, filling all the empty voids and echoing as hard as a wolf’s howl in the moon, making you struggle to focus on walking, until at one point, you could no longer do it.  
  
‘Jack wait…’ you spoke up breathlessly and stopped on your tracks ‘We can’t go on anymore.’  
  
He didn’t even turn to look at you as he spoke ‘The house is a bit further away ____. We cannot stay out in the open, so be patient and walk.’  
  
His voice sounded so cold, that triggered a sob to rise from your chest, almost choking you in the process ‘This is not what I meant and you know it. We have to talk.’ You insisted.  
  
Instead of continuing to walk, Jack froze on his tracks; you watched the man as he seized all of his movements and his whole posture became as stiff as a statue, terrifying you for a split second, as you could practically see him turn and charge against you, wrapping his hands around your neck and snapping it as easily as he would snap a twig. Yet the man remained nailed right where he was, not moving, not speaking, not even breathing.  
  
‘We’ll do that once we get to the house.’  
  
The tears chose this particular moment to make their way down your face as you nevertheless tightened your hands into fists and tried your best to keep your cool ‘I said that we have to talk right NOW. Just turn to look at me and I’ll tell you what it’s best for both of us; we can’t go on like this.’  
  
‘I said walk ______.’  
  
‘NO! We have to talk about this! Look at me!’  
  
Nothing.  
  
‘LOOK AT ME!!!’  
  
Your voice, a mixture of both anger and desperation, pierced through the silence of the forest and cut it off, reverberating in the distance like a penetrating gunshot. It had been a while since you had screamed like that and especially towards Jack, who only remained where he was, with his back turned to you. Angrily, you wiped away the tears from your face and tried your best to ignore the soft, stinging pain in your heart trying to focus your penetrating gaze on the back of the man. Suddenly, you heard Jack sigh wearily and eventually turn towards your crying form; his majestic navy blue mask nailed itself on you, betraying nothing of the man’s true emotions yet nevertheless helping you gather the courage to speak your mind freely. Because you knew that what you were going to do next, was going to hurt both of you.  
  
‘I think…. I think that this is a grave mistake.’ You breathed out.  
  
‘What is?’ Jack’s voice sounded curious and almost out of breath.  
  
‘Us continuing to be together.’ Choking out the words, it was the very first time that you felt such determination oozing from your every pore in a long while. This was going to be hard, but you had to protect Jack ‘I know that it is the very first time in a long while that we are together Jack and believe me, I wish with all my heart that these circumstances would be different, but I can’t do this to you; I can’t just stand by and watch as you are casted out of your very own house for someone as insignificant as myself. You should turn back and leave me here Jack; I’m not going to be around too long either way.’  
  
There was a long pause.  
  
‘Are you an idiot?’  
  
In the sound of his words, your eyes open wide with surprise and you fail to process his words at first ‘What?’  
  
‘I asked of you, if you are an idiot. That would explain why you are telling me all this.’ Jack shrugged ‘I refuse to leave you _____. End of the story.’  
  
‘You have no choice in this Jack! If you don’t realize it, you have just been thrown out of your very own home because of me! You are exiled from your very own kind! So excuse me, but I want you to leave me here and go back right now, because it is there that you belong!’ you snap at him angrily.  
  
Jack takes a threatening step towards you and out of pure reflex, you take one back as well.  
  
‘Do I seriously look like I care about what happened back there? Because if I do, I apologize for that. I do not give two shits about either being exiled from that house or never going back there again. All I care about, is you and if you do not start walking, we are going to be out in the open when the sun goes down and that means a lot of trouble for the both of us.’ His voice, low as it might have been, sounded as threatening as the single step he took towards you, like the monster that is stalking its prey.  
  
‘Well, if you don’t care, it doesn’t mean that I don’t too!!’ you yell back.  
  
‘Why would you care?!’ he snaps back, his voice being raised and sounding dual, with a demonic hue that horrified you for just a split second, until your own demons rose inside your head.  
  
‘BECAUSE I DON’T WANT YOU TO BE ALONE ANYMORE! Because we both know that I am going to die and I refuse to allow you to be alone after I am gone! So LEAVE ME RIGHT NOW and go back to the family that you belong to! I refuse to destroy your life!’  
  
In a blink of an eye, Jack had crossed the distance between you and had grabbed you hard by the shoulders, shaking you as angrily as he spoke to you, his mask mere inches away from your determined face.  
  
‘WHY didn’t you tell me about your heart ______? Why did you keep it a secret from me?’ he demanded to know, uttering the words so carefully, like he was weighting each and every one of them.   
  
To you though, it sounded like he spat them straight into your face.  
  
‘Because I didn’t get the right chance to do so. Hell, I didn’t even know you were my Jack until recently. You expect me to trust something that important to a cold-blooded killer?’ you simply say.  
  
‘I do continue to be that killer though ______.’ Jack’s sigh was heard even under his mask; for a strange reason, it sounded like his anger vanished with it as well ‘_____, believe me when I tell you that I am not going to leave you alone; I was not going to even in the first place. And I am not willing to watch you die. I am certain that I can come up with a cure for your condition so you just wait and trust me. I know that this is a lot to ask of you after what I did to you, but do so. I will save you.’  
  
New tears were welling up in your eyes, but all you could do right now was gaze inside Jack’s empty black eye sockets ‘I wish that you could do something. I really do.’  
  
His chuckle sounded rich and strong under his mask, and you were sure that it was the very first time you heard it since you reunited with him ‘For a human female, you sure are stubborn.’ He commented.  
  
You laughed a bit as well ‘Well, they told me I could be anything, so I became stubborn.’  
  
This conversation was just what you needed to relax a little bit and surely, Jack did demand to place your trust in him something that you were willing to do after all the things the man went through for none other than yourself; yes, before he realized that this was you, he did try unspeakable things, but how would you ever be able to hold a grudge against him? The remorse and stinging feelings of regret surely did not leave your heart at all, but rather subsided for now especially when Jack did what he did next.  
  
You would never have even guessed he was about to do that.  
  
Because as he was holding on to you.  
  
He hugged you.  
  
Out of literally nowhere, you felt his sturdy hands letting go of your shoulders, only for his chest to come crashing against your small form and his hands to wrap around your figure, pulling you into such a tight hug, that it was almost desperate. Your thoughts completely went out like candles in the strong wind and for the first few seconds, you were left there, unable to process both what was happening as well as what Jack had just done; it was the very first act of affection he showed to you after he changes and you couldn’t help the stiffness that washed over you. Thus, when the reality of the situation finally sink in, you shyly raised your hands and hugged the man back with all your might, trying with this small act to bring your aching hearts one step closer to one another; you betted Jack hadn’t given much thought to this and maybe what was left of his human nature urge him to do this, but you also knew, that it was your very first step to the right direction. It was a simple act that made you feel somewhat safe again; like the nightmare which you called your lives was long gone. And you allowed yourself to indulge in it. To indulge inside his penetrating aroma of chocolate, pepper and blood which filled every trace of your existence, like some kind of mesmerizing drug.  
  
When you finally broke apart, Jack helped you climb on his back and started walking again towards the direction of your new home, carrying both you and the three bags you had along with you. Something did tell you that this immense power must be coming from his killer nature, yet you didn’t question it at all. Instead, you allowed the comforting silence to descend upon both of you, as you rested your head on the nape of his neck and looked all around you to the breathtaking forest. Now that you weren’t running for your life, you were able to admire its beauty in all its true magnitude, as the labyrinth of trees extended until the farthest point the eyes could see; if you didn’t know about the dangers lurking around, you would be glad to explore it one day.  
  
The sun had started his dive into the distant horizon, allowing the shadows to start taking over, when you finally reached a clearing among the woods and once Jack stepped out of the forest, you looked around you breathlessly and wolf-whistled in amazement.  
  
This was one of the best sceneries you had ever laid your eyes upon.  
  
There was a small valley hidden among both the sea of trees and the tall, threatening mountains that surrounded the place, like enormous giants who offered their protection with their gigantic rocks, that threatened to fall on any unlucky passerby, over the lake that resided right in the middle of the clearing, hiding it completely from any preying eyes or unwanted visitors, naturally creating a small sanctuary among the forest for the nymphs and elves to come out even during the day and play. The lake was medium sized and since the temperature was far below zero, it had completely frozen over creating a white sheet of ice that appeared more solid than it really was, since on the edges of the lake, you were still able to see the bottom and the various fish that swam undisturbed. The strong wind coursed through the rocks, creating the illusion of howling wolves and its coldness pierced your sides yet again, making you shiver violently on Jack’s back, yet fill your lungs with the purest kind of air. The whole place was both secluded and silent and you were sure that if you dropped a pin, its sound would reverberate like a gunshot inside the silence. You were so taken aback by the landscape, that you barely noticed the small cabin which rested on the far end of the lake, peaking through the trees; it was pure coincidence that you saw it in the first place and you were sure as hell that it would be impossible for anyone that doesn’t know this place exists to find it by luck.  
  
‘We should head inside; there is a storm coming.’ Jack’s voice came muffled under the strong air that rose suddenly.  
  
‘Fine by me!’ you tried to be heard, tightening your hold on him as he started walking towards the house.  
  
It took you a good amount of time to reach the cabin, since the wind made things difficult for the both of you, but when the door closed behind you and Jack allowed you to stand down before turning the lights of the house on, you couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh of relief to finally be in a secluded space. The inside of the cabin was rather plain; the ceiling and the floor were made out of the same wood and the walls were painted completely white. The small kitchen was resting on your left, consisting of some cupboards, appliances and a small kitchen island and on the right was what appeared to be a living room; rather than that, there was a worn out sofa positioned in front of the fireplace, with a small TV on the side of the said fireplace. In the far back there was a small hallway with three doors to it. No carpets were decorating the floor and no curtains adorned the five windows.  
  
But let’s be honest here, you didn’t expect such luxuries.  
  
‘This is where we are going to stay from now on. The three doors on the back are, from left to right, the bathroom, my lab and the bedroom.’ Jack explained, resting the bags down and throwing a quick gaze over to the fireplace ‘I’m going to get the fire going and you should eat. You will find anything you need in the fridge.’  
  
‘Okay.’ You murmur ‘Should I take the bags in the bedroom?’  
  
‘Only your own.’ He throws over his shoulder as he opens the door once again, his navy-blue mask turning to gaze upon your form ‘You will be taking the bedroom from now on and I will take the sofa.’  
  
In response, you rolled your eyes at him ‘I’m not gonna throw you out of your own bed Jack. I’ll be taking the sofa.’  
  
‘I am not arguing with you ______. End of the story.’ He said and went out, closing the door behind him.  
  
Well, it was good that he didn’t stick around to see the face you pulled as you sighed in surrender, resting your hands on your waist. Not that you were going to take the bedroom, but rather for the fact that _he_ called _you_ the stubborn one. But, there were many chores to be done around here and from a quick look over the place, you could see Jack’s attempts to clean the place up yet the dust was more persistent than him, continuing to loom in the air that was heavy with humidity, since the place had obvious quite some time to be properly heated up. So, throwing two bags over your shoulder, you make your way to the bedroom in the back, thinking to yourself that you have to get down and clean this whole place up tomorrow morning, just to be able to say that there are living conditions inside this cabin. The bedroom consisted of a simple double, metal bed and a small wardrobe, with pretty much no space to store things whatsoever and you ended up throwing the bags on the soft mattress before walking back to the kitchen to get some dinner.  
  
Your expectations on food and the quality of it were not so high, so you were amazed to open the fridge and see that it was already equipped with all the necessary dairy and food to get you through the week; yes, there was a small lack of vegetables, but inside the dead of winter it would be more likely that meat would prove to be exactly what you needed. And now that you thought about meat, you realized it had been quite some time since you had some; surely though, it was before Jack abducted you from your college.  
  
Jack walked back inside the cabin, carrying a handful of wood for the fireplace, just as you had gathered all the ingredients you wanted to make some amazing scrambled eggs with bacon. Paying him no mind, you focused on your task at hand, while the man sat down and started the fire. In a matter of a few minutes, the vivid flames of a strong fire were already serving to cut off the heavy humidity and you were glad to feel your skin being warmed just a bit; it helped soothe your light-headedness and drove away the cold in your bones.  
  
‘What are you making?’ Jack asked, walking over to you and setting his mask aside, revealing his majestic characteristics to you, as he took a seat on one of the chairs surrounding the kitchen island.  
  
You chuckled a bit, enjoying the view to his relaxed face and disheveled auburn hair.  
  
‘Your favorite! Scrambled eggs with bacon.’  
  
‘I cannot say that they look so appetizing.’ He commented, shrugging his broad shoulders.  
  
‘You know, you used to eat tons of this stuff back when you were human. Are you sure you don’t want just a taste?’ you laugh, holding one piece of fried bacon in front of his face, all at the same time watching him turn away in disgust.  
  
‘No, I am sure. You do not happen to have something with organs right?’  
  
‘Eww, no.’ you made a disgusted face ‘Are you trying to make me sick?’  
  
The sly smirk that was immediately plastered on his face was a reply enough, making you roll your eyes as you placed the food on a plate, grabbed a fork and a knife and got down to eat this delicious thing.  
  
‘I can make you some baked kidney-pie tomorrow if you want to.’ You played along with the joke, throwing some bacon in your mouth.  
  
He nodded ‘Do not be bothered with it. I prefer them raw and freshly harvested.’  
  
‘I cannot believe we are casually talking about you eating human organs over my dinner. If you are trying to gross me out, you have succeeded.’ You comment, cutting a piece of bread and eggs with the knife.  
  
‘I am amazed to see how lightly you are taking all this; are you sure you are a normal human?’ he jokes, folding his hands over his chest and nailing his empty stare at you.  
  
‘Let’s just say that I prefer to tell myself you are eating gummy bears in the shape of human organs. If you keep them away from the fridge I use, I think we are going to be good for now.’ You shrug ‘Of course, that depends on whether you decide to eat my own or not.’  
  
‘_______.’ His face falls into a grim expression, making you flinch.  
  
‘I’m joking okay? No need to wo-ARGH!’ you scream, averting your gaze from Jack and towards your hand, from which a resonating pain shot up making you almost fold in two and certainly flinch in pain.  
  
Your eyes open wide with surprise and your lungs inhale a sharp breath, as you see ruby red blood flowing in abundance from what appeared to be quite a deep wound in the palm of your left hand; the blood was quick to drip down and stain the food, while your hands started shaking quite a bit, disabling you from managing to do even the slightest of movements. A huge gash decorated the center of your palm and before you even had the chance to think, Jack had already taken your hand in his and using a nearby towel, he wiped away the blood, allowing a clear inspection of the wound.  
  
‘Looks like the knife managed to do a pretty deep wound.’ He said stuffing his hand inside his pocket and pulling out a clean bandage, he started wrapping it around your shaking hand ‘You should be more careful with these things ____.’  
  
‘I-I don’t know what happened….I didn’t even f-feel my hand slipping.’  
  
Jack completely ignored your words and instead placed his free hand over your forehead, sighing heavily the moment he touched it.  
  
‘You have high fever _____. That’s why your hands are shaking.’ He said, standing up and walking around the counter to get to you.  
  
‘But I feel fine! Just a bit light-hea- what the hell do you think you’re doing?’ you demand to know with your face turning into a luxurious shade of red as Jack picks you up bridal style and makes his way over to the sofa.  
  
‘You probably have fever due to the fatigue of the day and the adrenaline that coursed through your veins; you need to lie down and sleep, or else it is going to affect your heart big time.’ he replied, plopping you down to the sofa and making you lie completely down on it, before he walked to the lab and you could hear the clutter of medical tools colliding with one another.  
  
Still, he was right.  
  
The moment you rested your head on the arm of the sofa, the extreme fatigue of the day got the best of you and you found it nearly impossible to even lift your head and look around. Right now you did feel a little bit helpless to assist Jack and the sweet warmth resonating from the vivid fire in the fireplace hit you so hard, that together with your fever, made your eyelids extremely heavy. You sighed. Maybe this time you could sleep well enough and not have to worry about someone slitting your throat while you slept or killing Jack. The man came back to you with a tray of medical tools and kneeling beside you, he took your hand gently on his own, proceeding to inject you with a transparent liquid. He checked your temperature again, before sitting down beside you and looking deep into your eyes.  
  
‘I gave you something to help you sleep. You’ll be back on your feet in no time tomorrow.’ His voice was a simple monotone, coming in complete contrast with his worried expression.  
  
Deploying all of your strength, you smile to him ‘I’m sure I’ll be fine Jack. You should head to bed as well though; you must be tired as hell.’  
  
He nodded ‘I’m going to stay with you tonight ______, to make sure you’ll be okay.’ He commented ‘I am never going to let anything happen to you again. I can promise you that.’  
  
His last words sounded only like an echo to you, as your eyelids grew unbearably heavy and eventually closed.


	28. Chapter 28 Who We Used To Be

_‘If they find out that we’re not home, we are so dead.’_  
  
 _The voice of a girl pierced through the loud noise of the howling wind, as the blizzard that pestered the small town of (y/t) continued on with undiminished ferocity, bringing along with it only the piercing cold of a merciless winter. In the almost deserted roads, two shadows appeared to be moving along the sidewalk, both of them staying on each others side, in a desperate attempt to generate some heat and warm themselves up; it was way past midnight and all denizens had retreated towards the warmth and protection of their homes, so it was far more than simply odd for someone to still be lingering outside._  
  
 _‘Oh come on now ______. They haven’t suspected a thing in all those years, why should they know now?’ the voice of a boy replied, only to receive a sigh from the girl._  
  
 _‘I think you’re right Jack.’ _____ smiled brightly and tugged closer to the boy, having passed her hand on his elbow and walking steadily beside him ‘It’s also been quite a bit since I last saw you, so I should just enjoy our time together.’_  
  
 _Jack looked down to the girl, offering her a smug smile ‘Missing me already _____?’_  
  
 _‘All the f*cking time and you know it.’ She replies without even a single trace of hesitation ‘I bet college is so much fun. Have you made any new friends?’_  
  
 _Jack thought about it for a second, trying to think as hard as he could if he made any acquaintances that could be counted as friends so he could answer the girl’s question but so far, he couldn’t produce any more than a single name._  
  
 _‘I guess you could say I became friends with Greg. He is my roommate as I mentioned earlier and seems like a normal dude.’ He commented thoughtfully._  
  
 _He and _____ hadn’t seen each other in a few months, since Jack finally managed to get admitted to the college he aimed at and thus he was gone from the hometown of (y/t) for a while, being unable to both contact ________ and see her. Now, Christmas was finally upon them and he was able to return and see her; one would have expected him to return because he was missing his father or mother, but in reality, the man only missed his childhood friend and couldn’t give two sh!ts about anyone else for all that matters. So tonight, he and _____ had snuck out of their homes and gone for a walk on a nearby park which Jack thought ______ would like, since it had already been decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments that made the whole scenery kind of idyllic. And since his thought was right, the girl seemed to be simply amazed by the breathtaking surroundings; she looked around her constantly with her bright (e/c) orbs completely mesmerized and a big smile gracing her face, looking even younger than she really was._  
  
 _Jack just couldn’t keep his eyes away from her smiling face and never allowed himself to deny her anything; that ended with both of them sharing a big bag of various sweets while holding steaming cups of their favorite hot chocolates in their hands and ______ talking about every little thing that happened while he was away and Jack paying close attention to her, never missing a single word uttered by the girl. It was kind of ironic how much he had missed her in the few months that they were apart and now he just couldn’t look away from her small form, he couldn’t risk her smile faltering even for a split second; a certain thing that also pleased him, was the complete lack of any purple spots lacing her splendid (s/c) skin. All these things were more than enough to make him happy. Because what greater joy than seeing the one you care about the most, happy? Of course, he never forgot about his promise to her; how could he do that in the first place, when all he wanted was to take her away from her ‘supposed’ parents and the two of them running away to start a normal life somewhere far, far away. To achieve that, the man had made sure he studied as hard as he could, resulting to him scoring first in all of his classes; ______ was delighted to hear that he was doing well and to reward him for doing so great, she kissed his cheek and hugged him as hard as her body could allow her._  
  
 _The only thing that the girl was greatly unaware of was that because of her simple action, Jack’s heart accelerated to a tremendous speed and a strange sensation arose inside his stomach; her trouble-free act managed to blew his mind away._  
  
 _And that did not stop at all._  
  
 _‘So you didn’t meet any girls?’ _____’s voice was sure trying to sound carefree, but Jack knew her far better than this._  
 _This only caused a sly smirk to grace his lips ‘Are you jealous ______?’he questioned the girl._  
  
 _In response, she scoffed ‘As if. No girl is better than me.’ she looked up at him and flashed him a smile filled with arrogance._  
  
 _He only returned the smile ‘I would have to agree on that; no one is as good as you.’_  
  
 _It was at this comment that the girl’s face changed within a matter of milliseconds. Jack witnessed the change first hand, gazing upon her face as her (e/c) eyes opened so wide with surprise that they turned into two plates; Jack always loved how they seemed to be filled with both innocence and happiness, both of these attributes burning steadily inside them at all times, making the girl lively and charming. A rich shade of red painted her cheeks, turning her whole face into an adorable color that Jack simply couldn’t resist anymore, chuckling to himself and inhaling a deep breath as his mind went completely off and filling with only one thought: It’s now or never. What if they were just outside their homes? What if anyone could see them? He didn’t care; he didn’t care at all. Because all he really wanted, was to have her. He had waited long enough to express his feelings and now was the only time he really had a solid chance; now that _____ was more adorable than ever, more beautiful than ever; now that he finally realized that he loved her more than ever._  
  
 _His hand went up and rested behind her delicate neck and before the girl really had any chance to react, he pulled her forward and their lips smashed against each other’s._  
  
 _If Jack’s mind turned into a whirlwind every time he saw her smile or felt her presence near him, that was absolutely nothing compared with what happened inside his mind when he kissed her; his heartbeat turned into a continuous buzz and his mind completely melted inside his skull._  
  
 _At first, he could feel _____ tensing up inside the kiss and keep her mouth closed, while her hands flew to rest themselves on his sturdy chest, trying to react against the unexpected action, but as the seconds flew by and realization dawned to her, she simply sighed into the kiss and half opened her lips. Jack’s tongue slipped into her mouth, getting his first dose of her divine taste that reminded him of gardenia flowers and he couldn’t help but get completely lost in it as he explored every crevice of her mouth, playing with her and claiming it as his own; it was evident that even then, the girl was kissing him back with equal enthusiasm to match his own, her hands grabbing a hold of his jacket and pulling him closer. Oh, how long had Jack waited for this, how long had he troubled himself with the right way to confess his feelings to her and now here they are, kissing each other like there is no tomorrow, finally allowing their feelings for each other to arise like a volcano that destroys everything in its lethal path._  
  
 _‘WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING YOU SL*T?!’_  
  
 _The feeling of pure bliss comes to an end rather abruptly as a voice booms loudly. Both _____ and Jack pull apart immediately and the girl only has time to turn her head and gaze behind her, before a brawny hand shots up and pulls her from her hair away from Jack and another one lands so hard against her cheek that the poor girl screams out in pain, her hands flying to cover her face. Jack instinctively rushes to help her, only for a punch to find him straight in the face; there is an awful cracking sound and a hot liquid runs down to cover his mouth and chin as the man takes a few steps back, crying out in pain and trying to protect himself somehow._  
  
 _‘What are you doing out here with that f*cker?! Do you want to disgrace our family?! I’ll make you pay for this you b!tch!’_  
  
 _There is another harsh sound of a hand landing against soft flesh and ______ screams out once again, causing Jack to finally look up and meet with Jake’s furious form._  
  
 _The man had probably seen them through one of the windows and the two kids never even heard him storming out of the house until it was too late. His muscular body could put any professional bodybuilder in shame and his deranged brown eyes were focused solely on ______, with his hand landing hits to the petite girl wherever he could actually reach her. The girl was screaming out and trying to get away from him, but his hold on her hair was too strong._  
  
 _‘DON’T TOUCH HER!!!’ Jack screamed and charged against him, forgetting his broken nose and focusing on the sole purpose of getting ____ away from the man’s hands._  
  
 _Before he had a chance to see it coming though, a kick landed straight on his stomach, sending the boy tumbling on the floor, with a mouthful of blood coming out as he folded himself in two and screamed._  
  
 _‘JACK!’ ______’s desperate scream reached his ears, but the pain was too immense and the girl only screamed even more as the horrible man hit her head against the fence on the edge of the house._  
  
 _‘Now you’ve done it!’ Jake screamed and started pulling _____ towards the house ‘I’ll make sure to make this punishment an example. Now get inside you sl*t!!’_  
  
 _All Jack could do was whisper ______’s name desperately, as her frantic screams for him became fainter and fainter, until a door closed and they seized completely._  
  
  


**_~ * ~_ **

  
  
  
  
‘Jack…Jack wake up.’ a soft voice sounded from somewhere really close to Jack and someone shook his shoulders gently.  
  
Immediately, his eyelids popped open and his empty eye sockets scanned the whole place up for the impending threat that was lurking around, his hand instinctively flying to grab a hold of his beloved scalpel inside his pocket. Yet, instead of a terrible foe, the man came across the figure of a girl who was leaning over him. Apparently, Jack had fallen asleep right beside the couch where _____ slept last night, in a failed attempt to keep an eye on her, only to sleep right where he was. The girl was now leaning over him, her bright (e/c) eyes looking steadily down at him and from the comfortable and warm feeling, Jack realized that he was leaning against a soft pillow and he was covered with a blanket; the girl had obviously made sure that he was comfortable since she was completely unable to move him.  
  
_____ tilted her head to the side ‘Are you okay? You were having a nightmare.’ She commented.  
  
As Jack focused back on her, the image of ______ in his dreams flashed before him, only that the girl now was much older and a lot different than before. In contrast with the dream, the girl’s eyes were now bereft of the spark of innocence, which appeared to be long gone from her tired eyes, no matter the fire of life that continued to burn inside of them. She was completely different, yet the same as the girl in his dream and that was something that Jack found…. fascinating. It was strange how a person could be completely different but the same at the same time.  
  
‘Who is Jake?’ was the first question his logical brain decided to pose. Only that he made a mistake.  
  
The atmosphere that was warm and welcoming when he had woken up changed dramatically into a completely cold and serious one, as _____’s faint smile dropped into a frown and a dark shadow made its appearance into her bright eyes, consuming away what was left of her good mood.  
  
‘How do you know this name?’ her voice, barely above an audible whisper, was so cautious as it was suddenly enraged, for reasons the man failed to understand; it was amazing how this human female’s moods changed from one minute to the other.  
  
‘Answer my question.’ Jack heard his self insisting.  
  
‘No.’ she simply answered and raised herself on her feet, walking away and back to the kitchen without as much as a second glance behind her.  
  
If curiosity prevailed inside his head before, now, his animalistic nature was far more than simply interested into finding out what the girl was hiding and his brain was quick to decide that he was going to find out either way, whether she wanted to share her knowledge willingly or not. Throwing the covers to the side, he stands up and follows her to the kitchen, taking a seat in one of the chairs surrounding the kitchen island. ______ didn’t even raise her head to meet with his steady gaze, as she continued to whip the eggs she had thrown into a bowl with a metallic balloon whisk. Her shoulders were stiffened to the extreme and her eyes were fixed on the bowl as she stirred the mixture with such power, as if she was wishing to herself to set in on fire right then and there; there weren’t many occasions that Jack had seen her lose her composure like this, even from the few human memories he had; in those, she was usually bruised or beaten up and smiling sincerely nevertheless.  
  
‘How is the fever?’ he asked her evenly, observing her face closely to be able to understand what was going wrong with her.  
  
‘Gone.’ She responded coldly.  
  
‘And what have you dedicated yourself in making?’  
  
‘I’m making myself a cake; it’s not like you can eat it right? Plus there aren’t many things to do around here.’ Again, her voice was as cold as his own, something that intrigued Jack even more, making him want to push her buttons and deviously infuriate her only more.  
  
This wasn’t like her at all, but from all the memories which were undoubtedly surfacing slowly but steadily and the time spend with her, Jack knew that all he had to do was wait.  
  
Looking around him nonchalantly, his vision never failed to pick up that there was a considerable less amount of dust flowing in the air and the whole place looked far more tidied up and clean, reminding more of a home than ever before. Even the fire continued to burn vividly into the fireplace, driving away all of the coldness of the previously uninhabited house and raising the living conditions of it. It didn’t need a genius to understand that ______ had probably cleaned up the best she could, trying not to wake him up in the process and make him feel more comfortable by providing him with a pillow and a blanket, the very same ones that he used to cover her up last night. Of course, the blizzard never even seemed to diminish outside of the house, continuing to whip the steady stone walls mercilessly.  
  
But that was not something to worry about right now.  
  
‘Will you explain to me now who Jake is?’ Jack repeated himself, averting his gaze back to the girl.  
  
Her movements faltered for a brief second, a moment that was all too enough for Jack to notice, and then she resumed with her work, sparing him no glance ‘You want to know why I am so furious about you remembering him huh?’  
  
‘Yes.’ This was the only answer that Jack was able to offer her, that was, until she would decide to speak up of course.  
  
‘I am mad, because you seem to remember my abusive stepfather and not me, your very own best friend. Hell, you haven’t even questioned me about who you were as a human.’ She poured the mixture into an oven pan and turned her back to him to place it into the oven.  
  
‘Alright.’ Jack said cautiously ‘I will ask, once you answer about the man.’  
  
_______ returned to the counter once again and pulling one of the chairs, she sat down across from him, giving him an even stare, probably trying to guess what he had in mind; Jack did his best to keep his face even and from all these years inside the Creepypasta household, it was a lot easier for him than what she would have expected. Eventually, the girl sighed and her body relaxed tremendously, with her shoulders leaning forward; it was the signal that Jack needed in order to realize that she was about to let him know the truth.  
  
‘Jake is my stepfather. He married my mother shortly after my father’s death and has been living with us since I was probably seven or eight years old. As a man, he is definitely not the one you would like to mess with, since he is too aggressive and dangerous to even look at. From the moment he stayed with us, every time he got the chance, he would beat me up or punish me with various ways just because his day wasn’t good enough and he wanted someone to take his anger out on. There were many occasions that I had to be rushed to the hospital and usually, you would be the one to do so. He was the one who made me skip school just to go around singing to collect money, since he and my mother were heavy drinkers and needed more and more money to buy more booze.’ She explained coldly, seemingly completely dispassionate about what had happened to her in the past ‘On the day that I learnt about your disappearance, it was the very first day that I found out I had a serious heart condition. The moment I learnt the news, I folded in two and screamed, since I was having my very first heart attack. You wanna know what Jake did, Jack? He started screaming at me and beating me up so hard, that I lost consciousness almost immediately; when I woke up on the hospital, the doctors said that I was out for about a month but child services weren’t called on Jake, since the doctor that treated me was a friend of his. He had actually beaten me up so hard this time that I fell into a coma.’  
  
______ finished her sentence as calmly as she started it and completely unaware of the fact that Jack’s hands had folded into powerful fists under the counter, with the man barely seeing the girl that stood in front of him and only thinking about various ways of possible killing methods of that bastard. Oh, how much fun would he have once he would lay his hands on his filthy neck; but no, he wasn’t going to turn this abomination into a meal. He would decorate the room with his guts and leave him there for his poor-excuse-of-a-wife to find.  
  
‘So you know now why I was so upset that you remembered him and not me. How could you not remember me…..’ she trailed off, her voice breaking on the very end of the sentence.  
  
But Jack wanted to keep her talking.  
  
‘How was I as a human?’  
  
In his question, the female looks up to meet with his gaze and her eyes literally sparkle as he bursts into a joyful laugh, a sound so divine that could only be rivaled by her singing, heavenly voice. The sound was clear and loud and able to stir a completely unknown feeling inside Jack’s guts, a feeling that the monstrous man was unable to recognize or even understand.  
  
‘How were you as a human?’ _____ asks once her laugh dies out, yet the sparkles never leave her bright (e/c) orbs as she leans forward and rests her head on her hands ‘You were the kindest man I had ever met in my entire life. I have to say, some of your humane attributes, you continue to have even now, like the unquenchable thirst for knowledge or the never ending curiosity about things that are new to you. Of course, you were less vigilant and quick-to-react, yet your observation senses were still at their peak. You were all knightly when you were around me and never allowed anyone to hurt me –and that goes for all the bullies at school. Just to let you know, you have your mother’s rich auburn hair and your eyes used to be exactly like your father’s. All in all, you were a natural-born gentleman that knew how to crack a joke in the correct times. Being my best friend, I loved you very much.’  
  
In her words, the dream Jack had last night flashed like a wildfire inside his memories, making the man lean forward and another question to arise inside his head. Of course, it was kind of evident that despite ______’s honesty, she was choosing to hide some key parts of their relationship. For what reason, he did not know, but knew that the answers to all of his questions were hidden inside his memories, making their discovery an even greater matter of importance. But how would he trigger them to wake up faster than they do now?  
  
‘And that is what lead you to search for me?’ he keeps the conversation going.  
  
‘I searched for you, because you are the only real family I have left. I was not going to let you disappear like that, even in the case that you were dead. I couldn’t just sit down and accept the poor job they did into searching for you and of course, I knew that something bad had happened to you since you disappeared without saying anything.’  
  
She rested her hands on the counter and picked herself up.  
  
‘Anyways, I have to take a bath; if you have questions or even remember me, wait till I come out.’ She said and walked towards the bathroom, closing the door behind her.  
  
Jack remained completely still and kept sitting on his chair in the counter, until the running water of the shower reached his heightened sense of hearing and the murmur of a song sung by none other than you accompanied it. When that happened, all the mechanisms inside his head were immediately triggered and the man rose briefly in his feet, like he was just struck by lightning. Without sparing a single glance to his chair that fell back and on the floor, he started pacing up and down the room, his hand flying to cover his chin and his brain pushing him into deep thought.  
  
Why couldn’t he remember ______ yet? Yes, the truth was that not all of his memories were revealed to him, but from the moment that the girl triggered the awakening of his past, memories were swarming back into his brain, making it all too hard for him to focus in the past three days. He could loosely remember where he went to school, how old he really was, what his parents’ names and appearance was and where their house is, but nothing other than a memory or two that included ______ had surfaced. These memories seemed to still be locked inside his brain and rising to the surface in a slower rate than all the other ones, yet having a gruesome impact on the man still; once a memory about _____ surfaced, the man would be in dire need to sit down and place his head on his hands for support because the weight of those memories was immense and they were accompanied by a huge tidal wave of emotions which the monstrous man had completely forgotten long ago, let alone understood. And it was exhausting to have this effect thrust upon him over and over again. Questions were formulating inside his head and there was no way he could answer them without asking ______ for direct help; and as the girl did before, she would keep vital points of their relationship for herself, acting like there was nothing amiss, when in reality, Jack knew all too well that there was. And he needed to remember her; it was of outmost importance to him to remember her right here, right now, because the girl was able to awaken uneasy feelings inside of him that he could no longer keep hidden if he continued to not remember what triggered them.  
  
All that was enough to trigger a reaction was just a small touch, a smile or just her breath falling on his skin for his stomach to turn and his brain to freeze; this was definitely not a healthy reaction and in order to manage and keep her safe from any possible trouble that might come in their future, he needed to look past them and clear his mind. Because his once sharp brain was not as sharp when he was around her. It was as if the girl had some drug effect on him that could easily deprive him from all his by far superior abilities. He wondered though, if the rest of the killers like him, that do remember their past, had similar experiences; maybe he could do a little research to find out. But right now, how could he remember her?  
  
The plum answer to his question was provided to him through the very same dream he had seen last night. He knew all too well that this was just another memory that came to him in a dream form, but it was evident that the idea which sprang inside his logical mind may be the key to unlocking his memories with _______. Yes, it would be somewhat straightforward or even rough, but right now, ______ had to excuse his means in front of the big picture of finding out. Maybe the idea would ultimately benefit her as well. No matter what, Jack’s logical brain focused on this sole solution; he had to find out no matter what.  
  
By the time the plan formed into his mind, the door of the bathroom opened and out walked none other than you, fully dressed with a pair of warm clothes while you tried to dry your hair off on a towel. Walking inside the large room, the girl’s eyes meet first with the fallen chair and then with the distressed posture of Jack, whose eyeless stare nailed itself on her petite form, just in time to see curiosity dawning in her eyes.  
  
‘What happened?’ she asked.  
  
‘I found a way to remember you.’ Jack commented, walking over to her with big steps.  
  
‘Really? How?’  
  
‘Like this.’  
  
Making the distance that separated them disappear, the killer’s body reacted way faster than his logical mind did and before he even knew it, his hand had wrapped itself inside ______’s wet hair and his lips were colliding on her delicate on with sheer power, immediately triggering the uneasy feelings that stirred his undead stomach and tied it into a knot. The girl froze up in complete horror at first and her hands flew to his chest and started hitting him with all the power she could muster up, trying to get him away from her. Only that Jack wasn’t going to give up without a fight, now that he had finally cornered her.  
  
It only took him licking her bottom lip for the girl to seize all of her movements for a second, a split second which seemed like a true eternity of waiting, before her hands fell down lifelessly and a deep sigh left her lips as they half opened, enabling Jack to slip his tongue in and get a full taste of her breath inside his own. The whole world around them could be going up in flames, but the two of them wouldn’t notice a single thing as _____ placed her hands on his sturdy chest and Jack continued to claim her mouth as his own, all logic and clear thinking going out the window. But how would the killer be able to think, when the demon that inhabited his mind was surely awake and growling loudly in complete lust and wanting? How could the man fight back the beast that wanted to devour the girl’s soul and body at the same time? How was he going to tame a beast, when he did not want to do so? How was he going to let go, when her divine taste overwhelmed his senses and threw his body inside the fire? Because both of them were kissing each other passionately; both of them wanted to devour each other inside the lust. Jack knew it. ______ knew it as well.  
  
And then, something exploded inside Jack’s mind.  
  
_______’s reason came back long before Jack was ever able to understand.  
  
The girl broke the kiss and pushed Jack away from her, before her right hand connected hard with his cheek, making his face turn to the right and the place where she had hit him became even darker.  
  
‘I AM NOT YOUR TOY TO PLAY AROUND WITH!’ _____ screamed with all her might and turning, she stormed back into the bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind her, leaving Jack alone.  
  
But all the man could do as his brain was being set ablaze, was kneel down and hold his head inside his hands in complete pain, with his scream never leaving his lungs.


	29. Chapter 29 Clouds Over Paradise

Let’s just say that things were a bit weird. Correction; a LOT of weird.  
  
It had been almost four days since Jack kissed you literally out of the blue, claiming that this was the only way for him to remember your shared past and it was four pretty long days that you were weirded out beyond belief. Constantly staying inside the bedroom for as long as you could, you pretty much did your best to avoid the man who did no movement to get close to you from that day onwards whatsoever; you really hoped he felt bad about his actions, because every time you caught yourself turning your thoughts towards that direction, the only thing you wanted to do was drown yourself inside the marble bathtub of the bathroom. You couldn’t explain why he did what he did and you sure as hell were infuriated only in the mere thought that he used this kind of action to remember his past.  
  
Like, who does he think you are? Some kind of toy to mess around with in order to regain his memories?  
  
There was literally no excuse for his actions and this was the sole reason as to why you slapped him across the face; you were feeling like you and your emotions were currently being used in order for the man to regain what he had lost. Don’t get you wrong, you really wanted him to remember. But these kinds of actions unleashed certain emotions inside of you, that made your heart both beat fast and be broken at the very same time for two extremely different reasons, which the man would be unable to understand fully right now. It was because of the past that you slapped him; it was because of the past that you wanted him to remember slowly. Because if these things continued on, the emotions which the man is currently unable to both understand and reciprocate would be the death of you, the only thing that could easily kill you other than your heart. And you were not going to allow that to happen. Yes, you wanted to protect Jack, but in the process, it did not mean that you had to betray yourself and allow such torture to be placed upon you. It was evident that Jack’s memory was slowly coming back, yet the reason why he did not remember you pained you to no ends, making you sulk into your thoughts even more; still, it would be of no use for him to remember all at once, since the weight of them would wear both you and him down.  
  
Things were still hanging in the air among you, waiting to be said, but your logic mind and judgment decided it was best to wait; this was a journey that the man would have to make alone and there was no way for you to help him, even if you wanted to. Questions were bugging you as well and for the first time, you chose to withdraw yourself and let him think, since even if he remembered, you knew not if things would go back to how they were before. It was kind of utopian to think that you would get your friend back exactly how he was before he disappeared and that applied to you as well. Both of you were two completely different people since the last time you met in the human world and what kind of consequences would that have right now, you were unable to figure out yourself. And that was what made you protect yourself when he kissed you; because you were unsure as to where the two of you were standing and there was no way in hell for you to allow yourself willingly to indulge to what had happened between you in the past.  
  
Jack had to remember and decide on his own.  
  
A hard knock came from the door, just as you had sat in front of the window’s ledge, a nice book on your hands and carefully tucked in one of the blankets; the blizzard had finally stopped these past two days and the silver full moon offered a breathtaking view on the forest that surrounded the house, making you choose this particular spot each time you wanted to read every night. When the sharp sound pierced through the silence, your head instinctively turned to face it, only to hear a familiar voice coming from the other side.  
  
‘I am heading out tonight and I will not return until dawn. Make sure to stay inside, am I clear?’ Jack’s voice advised-ordered you.  
  
Yet, when you offered him no response, you heard him sigh.  
  
‘Eventually you will have to answer me _______.’ He said, and strangely enough, his words sounded dual inside your head.  
  
When the man received no answer whatsoever, he turned and you could easily hear his footsteps distancing themselves on the wooden floor as he made his way to the front door and exited the house, closing it behind it. He wasn’t wrong; at some point you would have to face him and talk about what happened, yet you were still unable to judge if you had managed to muster up enough courage to do so. Letting the book aside, you decide to make yourself a nice cup of coco now that Jack was out of the house and watch some TV or something. Since you avoided going out of the room when Jack was around, the man always made sure to leave the house for an hour or so in the evenings, letting you have the place for yourself and make something to eat, since the man couldn’t provide you with that; so imagine who free you were when he was out to do his…. ‘favorite hobby’. Honestly speaking though, he was a lousy cook even when he was a human. But there were times like these in which you were able to feel the freedom to roam around the house with your leisure, enjoying the feeling of being alone and not under constant threat for once in your life.  
  
So the house that surrounded you was suddenly more warm and safe for your broken self. The moment you walked inside the vast space of both the kitchen and the living room, your gaze fell at the fireplace with the vivid fire that burned in it and the small TV that Jack had managed to bring from somewhere you were absolutely sure you did not want to know, which was turned on to some random channel. Jesus Christ superstar, you could hardly remember the last time you actually sat down and watched TV like a normal human…..well, it’s nice to characterize yourself as a human –you rolled your eyes in irony-. Maybe you were hanging out too much with certain individuals that weren’t human anymore…. Oh well. Grabbing the milk and a small bar of chocolate from the fridge, you set them on the counter mindlessly, singing some random song to yourself as you gathered the rest of the things you needed and got down to work, averting your head every now and then to gaze on the TV to the romantic movie that was on right then; whoever was in charge for the selection of movies on the TV station, should be immediately fired, since this was clearly a sick joke right now.  
  
Without noticing it, your thoughts traveled back to the friends you had left on the college campus and you couldn’t help but wonder how they were; you were sure that Gabby would probably love this movie to bits while Sam would nag about it until she made you change the channel. In the days you stayed at the campus, the three of you attempted to see a movie together once, only to decide that it was a lost cause and stay up until late chatting with each other. Now that you thought about them, you couldn’t help but feel a stinging pain of loneliness piercing through you for the only girl friends you ever had. Both of them had treated you so well and right now, you just wished that you could see them again, only to make sure that they were okay. Both of them must be worrying sick about where you disappeared to –or even who kidnapped you- and you were saddened that there was no way to let them know you were okay.  
  
These thoughts took the best of you and as you threw a few chunks of chocolate inside your coco, your eye barely caught a faint movement coming from outside the house. Still, human reflexes work even if our brain is occupied and your head turned towards the movement, only to see a shadow lurking out of the house, a shadow that absolutely did not belong to Jack.  
  
The cup you were holding on your hands shattered into millions of little pieces the moment it came in contact with the wooden floor but you ignored it completely as you catapulted yourself towards the window, with your heart beat becoming one continuous buzz and your mind turning completely numb, deprived from any thought, the moment your eyes scanned the small opening in front of the house, only to come across an all-too-familiar child-like figure. Sally was standing right outside the house and was waving happily at you, clutching a worn out teddy bear against her chest safely. Her bright green eyes were shining eerily under the silver moonlight and the drops of blood that were cascading her small face were dripping down on the white snow, staining it. Your eyes nailed themselves on her smiling form, before your head turned and you saw the soul-drenching figure of the red-headed girl who was holding Sally when you and Jack were making your way out of the mansion. Now, the redhead was standing right in front of your front door, having raised what appeared to be an old sledgehammer and preparing to catapult it against the thin wood of the door.  
  
All these images were far than enough for your brain to comprehend and immediately turn all safety switches off inside your mind; you were in grave danger and you had to protect yourself against them, something you must do right about…..now. The dull sound of the sledgehammer coming in extremely hard contact with the door filled the room around you, sounding louder than the TV and making an electric current shoot up inside your body, setting you into motion. The scream of terror mixed with determination never reached your ears, even if it did come out of your mouth, and your body was immediately locked into battle position; without giving it much thought, you threw yourself towards the other edge of the counter and towards the knife holder, your delicate fingers wrapping with sheer power around a kitchen knife and holding it in front of you, you turn to face the door. Only in time to see the lock being broken and the door opening wide open.  
  
Your heart pounded loudly inside your ears and you couldn’t help but allow your hands to shake uncontrollably as your eyes popped open with terror, nailing themselves on the girl that was standing tall in front of the door, her bright orange eyes shining in contrast with the black of her sclera, while her sledgehammer was securely wrapped inside her steady hand, as her eyes nailed themselves on you, like the predator that focuses on their potential prey, making it feel so helpless, so unable to react that it nailed it right on the spot it stood. Right at that point, time seized to exist around you; all sounds seized and air was knocked out of your lungs as you were left to gaze at the monstrous girl’s eyes, your heartbeat sounding inside your ears while your heart dropped as it waited for the inevitable end, the moment the demon that stood right in front of you decided to lunge against you and end your life with a single swing of the sledgehammer. Suddenly, you were sad that Jack was going to return to a destroyed house. To an empty house. Suddenly, you were sad for not admitting that you loved him when you had the solid chance. Suddenly, you were saddened by the fact that you passed the last days of your life mad with the only person you really loved in this sad and doomed world.  
  
You were saddened for the fact that time was not enough for the two of you.  
  
‘_______!’ a girly voice pierced through the tension and your frozen state was thus broken, once the little girl Sally peeked through the door and threw herself towards you, opening her little hands in a hug and smiling brightly from ear to ear.  
  
Surprise must have been written all over your face but the little girl either completely ignored it or was totally oblivious to it, reaching and hugging you by your waist with all the power her tiny body could provide her with. The sharp knife left your hands and swallowing hard, you reached down to hug the little one, picking her up and allowing her to wrap her hands around your neck to support herself.  
  
‘What are you doing here Sally?’ your voice sounded alien even to you and all the adrenaline that had coursed through your veins had offered a hoarse tint to it.  
  
‘Jack told us to keep an eye on you for tonight since he was going to be out until dawn~!’ the little girl exclaimed happily, noticing that your eyes were still nailed on the red-headed girl, who was currently walking inside the house and closing the door behind her, even if the lock was hanging on it still by a single nail.  
  
‘This is my friend Halloween! She doesn’t talk too much, so don’t bother trying.’ The little one chuckled.  
  
‘Well can you ask your friend why she knocked the lock of the door down? I could have opened it for you, you know.’ You comment, thinking that it was a hell lot easier for anyone to get you now that it was busted.  
  
Sally laughed ‘We brought a new one silly! The old one was rusty and Jack wanted us to change it.’  
  
Sighing in defeat since Sally appeared to have an answer for literally everything, you walk over to the living room, making sure to both avoid the pieces of shattered porcelain from the mug you broke before and Halloween as well, as the girl turned and pulled out a brand new lock from her pocket. Paying you absolutely no mind, she sat down on the floor and started examining the previous one, with her long curly hair almost touching the floor under her and her sledgehammer resting lazily beside her. Averting your gaze from her and back to Sally, you found it kind of expected for Jack to have someone keep an eye on you, but you weren’t really sure if, in case of an attack, these two were able to keep themselves safe, let alone protect the human. It was evident that maybe Halloween would be able to hold her own, but Sally was just a little girl. Does Jack really think they can do this? Who knew… In any case, leaving Sally on the couch, you walk to the kitchen only to throw away the broken mug and return with some cookies for the little girl; the moment she saw them, her face lit up and she immediately grabbed one, just when you sat beside her on the sofa and Halloween decided to occupy the only armchair inside the living room, having repaired the lock already.  
  
‘So, mind telling me what is going on?’ you dare to ask.  
  
‘I already told you silly!’ Sally laughed, throwing some bits of munched cookie on her pink dress, her green eyes clear and amused ‘We are here to keep an eye out for you.’  
  
In her words, you tilt your head to the side ‘I don’t really think that I’m in need for protection. Nobody can find us here; this is what Jack told me.’ you comment thoughtfully.  
  
‘Don’t be silly _____~! You need all the protection you can get. Right Halloween?’ Sally countered your words and looked over to the silent girl, who only nodded emotionlessly in reply ‘It’s true that me and Halloween are your friends, but the rest of our family is not so happy about you staying with us.’ The little girl shrugged her small shoulders, immediately drawing your full attention, as her words managed to make a shiver go down your spine and your breath to hitch.  
  
‘What do you mean?’  
  
‘I mean that even if daddy Slender left you alive, this doesn’t mean the rest of our family will; some of them are looking all over for you in the forest, but Jack only trusted me, Halloween and Jeff with the location.’ The little girl admitted.  
  
‘Jeff as Jeff the Killer?’ you almost scream.  
  
Sally tilts her head to the side ‘Yeah~ Jeffy pooh~!’  
  
‘That was the same man that chased me out of the room in the first place! How could Jack trust him?!’ you exclaim, unable to even believe your own ears with what you were listening to. How could Jack trust that abomination when he was the reason your existence was revealed in the first place?!  
  
Sally took another cookie calmly, her actions and words more mature than her looks ‘Jeff and Jack are really good friends believe it or not; until you came over, you wouldn’t see the one without the other. Jack trusts him completely and the same goes for Jeff as well. It’s funny to see them fight though; sometimes I purposely make them fight. It’s simply amazing!’ The girl admitted with a devilish grin ‘Jeffy won’t hurt you, but the others will, so Halloween and I will keep you safe for Jack. If you stay away from the forest, you’ll be alright.’  
  
‘That’s easy for you to say, but in any case, you are just a little girl Sally; it should be me protecting you.’ you admit, caressing her brown curls tenderly.  
  
Sally’s devious smile only widened in response ‘Don’t be silly _____. I can protect myself and you~! Older brother Jack loves you and I’m not gonna let anyone mess with you.’  
  
The sheer determination that filled each and every one of her words was something that surprised you as well as the words themselves. Sally appeared to be holding a deep love for Jack and in her presence, it was easy to forget what she really was and focus of her childish appearance; it was mind-blowing for a child to be a killer, though you suspected she was not as dangerous as Jack or Halloween might be. For her age, you could feel a small tint of sadness knowing that she was probably never going to grow old and experience anything else but the murderous world. Throwing a discreet glance over at Halloween though and the way the female kept her eyes fixed on the little girl, giving off the feeling of both tenderness and murderousness at the same time, you knew that Sally was well taken care of by the silent girl. Maybe there was a kind of love lingering around the killers’ world, even if that meant motherly love or love between a man and a woman. And that was what brought Sally’s specific words into your mind. Jack loved you.  
  
As soon as the words echoed inside of you, your smile and heart dropped, allowing your dark thoughts to take a hold of you and make you question everything around you. Yes, the Jack you knew at the past surely loved you with all his might and it was the very same for you as well. There was nothing that could come between you, other than Death himself. And surely enough, Death was what drove you apart. Right now, the Jack that was standing right in front of you was in fact a complete stranger, even if he held on to the characteristics of the man you loved at some point. Even if he was actually Jack, he was in no position to remember you and you didn’t know if he could remember in the very end. And because of that, you were extremely torn apart yourself. Everything seemed so hard…  
  
When you spoke, the pure sadness that coursed through your veins like hot iron could be easily traced in your voice, like humidity that stains the all-too-fresh air.  
  
‘I don’t know if Jack loves me Sally. Things are a bit more complicated than that.’  
  
The smile, with which the child graced you at that moment, was a dazzling one.  
  
‘Everything is as complicated as we decide it to be.’  
  
  


**~ * ~**

  
  
  
‘I appreciate it that you kept an eye on her in my behalf tonight. Any troubles?’ a familiar male voice reached your ears, sounding deep and calm at the very same time.  
  
‘None~! She was fun to be around and gave me lots of cookies!’ a childish voice chuckled and tiny feet landed against the floor again and again.  
  
‘You know very well that we did it for you Jack. The others are searching the whole forest in order to find this place.’ This time, it was the voice of a girl older than the first that sounded inside the silent room with her voice sounding deep and alluring, like the warm wind which courses through the forest on a hot summer day as the sun is going down. In the sound of it, your eyelids twitched, but kept themselves closed; you were just too tired to open them right now and the voices were surely part of your strange dreams…  
  
‘I am well aware of that fact Ania. I picked up LJ’s and Grossman’s scents heading north. You will probably not come across them.’ Jack commented.  
  
The girl remained silent for a while, before speaking again ‘I will know if anyone is close and let you know immediately. But keep her inside at all costs. Let’s go Sally.’  
  
Two pairs of feet distanced themselves and exited the house, immediately being engulfed by the howling wind that roared outside the house, until you heard the door close and total silence enveloped you yet again. A deep sigh left your lips and the darkness of the unconsciousness became once again silent, allowing your tired brain to relax. You did remember faintly talking with Sally for quite a few hours, but apparently, you were so tired that you fell asleep on the couch, being warmed up cozily by the strong fire that burnt across from you. It didn’t take long for dreams to rise in front of your eyes yet again and you happily welcomed the calming images, until you felt a cold hand wrap itself inside your warm own and a pair of lips gracing it with a light kiss that was oh-so-familiar. Your brain had failed to register the steps which came close to you and now you sensed someone sitting on the wooden floor right next to where you were sleeping.  
  
Immediately, your brain decided to wipe away any trace of sleep and your eyes flicker and eventually open, searching to locate the dangerous intruder, but instead fall on a luxurious navy blue mask with complete lack of eyes, which was looking straight at you, having tilted its head to the side as it examined you.  
  
‘What do you want Jack? It’s late.’ your tired voice mumbles before you have the chance to stop yourself.  
  
In the previous days which you passed together from the moment he remembered his past –for the most part at least-, the man used to wander around without his mask on, so now that you came across his masked face, you did feel kind of weird being unable to see his face and read his expression.  
  
‘You seem to be talking to me or is it my imagination?’ he commented dryly.  
  
‘If you don’t want me to talk to you, I can return to the bedroom.’  
  
‘No.’ he said seriously ‘It was about time that we have to talk about the matters at hand.’  
  
Knowing that this time was bound to come, it did not help you ease your worried mind whatsoever and in the sound of his words, you shifted unwillingly and uncomfortably on the sofa, sitting up and crossing your legs together before resting your hands on your knees and looking at him straight in the eye. Mimicking your actions, Jack’s posture stiffened visibly, like the man was just preparing himself for some kind of attack that could easily leave him dismembered or beaten up; he was right for the most part, but he didn’t seem to realize that you lacked the necessary muscle to do so.  
  
‘Why did you slap me when I kissed you?’ his first question came muffled under his mask and even with that single piece of wood dividing you, you were sure that his gaze was watching your every more.  
  
Still, the only thing that flashed inside your eyes was pure anger ‘Why did you kiss me in the first place?’  
  
‘I asked the question first. Reply.’ He ordered you coldly.  
  
‘You didn’t give me much of a choice okay?! You didn’t ask me if I wanted to kiss you or not, you just did it anyway. Here; happy now?’ you throw in his face.  
  
‘Not in the least.’ He replies, his voice as cold as the winter night outside ‘Stating my reasons before kissing you must have been enough reason for you.’  
  
Scoffing, you roll your eyes theatrically ‘You mean that you kissed me in order to remember? That’s even worse!’ you exclaim ‘It’s not okay to be messing with other people’s feelings Jack and it will never be. Who gave you the right to mess with me in order to fulfill your own selfish reason? What does it mean you wanted to remember? There is no way to explain using another person!’  
  
‘You did not seem so bothered when I kissed you in the past. And certainly I did not see you complaining much this time as well.’ He observed evenly.  
  
A deep shade of red flashed all over your face, both from your anger and your shyness.  
  
‘That’s different…’ you avert your eyes at your hands.  
  
‘Your blush tells me otherwise.’  
  
‘Wait.’ realization dawned to you a little bit late, but still, your eyes opened wide with surprise ‘What do you mean ‘I didn’t have a problem in the past’? How do you know that I didn’t?’  
  
It was only now that you realized _exactly_ what Jack had said and the chuckle that emerged from behind the wooden barrier his mask was between you, served as a proof that you had heard correctly. Jack raised his hand and gently grabbing the edges of his mask, he removed it, placing it gently on the coffee table beside him; his majestic face turned to you once again, only to flash you with a big, devious smile that lighted up his characteristics and deepened your blush even more. How could a man look so gorgeous even when he belonged to the undead?  
  
‘It seems to me that you remember quite clearly the reason why I kissed you.’ he explained calmly, his whole body leaning towards you ‘What you do not know yet, was what happened after you slapped me and locked yourself inside the bedroom for five straight days. The moment I kissed you ______, my memories of you started rushing back inside my mind. I fell on the floor and remained there for two whole days, unable to move or even scream in pain, as my memories of you threw my mind off balance and overwhelmed it. It appears that the kiss was just the right trigger that I wanted to remember you. And I do remember every single detail about you.’  
  
His tone was the least triumphant and the smile that accompanied it was a similar one as well. For a strange reason, the return of his memories sounded so surreal that your brain failed to register the fact that you were wide awake and living this moment. How could it come in terms with such news and not lose itself in the process? How could come in terms with the fact that the man you loved the most had finally remembered you and was now narrating to you the whole process of it, with a victorious grin that was proof of his pride about this fact. Something that was sure though, was your heart that stepped up its beat, paining you a little bit but giving you a loud sob that rose from inside your chest, a trigger for your eyes to allow hot tears to bubble on their edges. The wave of emotions that washed over you was so overwhelming, it ripped your sanity away from your grasp and prepared you to take that last step into the oblivion of pure happiness and relief; and you were happy to take that last step, as well as allow the hot tears to cascade your face. Jack was lost from in front of you and you found yourself crying freely, unable to hold all this rich variety of emotions locked up inside of you. Because the man you longed for had finally remembered you. You were not alone anymore and you had him with you once again. But where you ready to have him?  
  
Jack shot up from his spot on the ground and before you knew it, his hands cupped the sides of your face, bringing you close enough to feel his cold breath falling on your hot skin and his lips gently kissing away your tears, as the man continued to whisper to you ever so softly, like he was afraid that speaking loudly would mean the whole world crumbling to the ground from the weight of those little words.  
  
‘I remember _everything_ about you _______. Your smile, your tears, the smell of your skin and the flavor of your kisses. I remember meeting you for the first time in that run-down kindergarten; I remember you offering me that stupid blue crayon. I remember talking to you non-stop, defending you and laughing along with you every time we ran away from home to pass some time together. I remember seeing all those bruises decorating your skin and I swear that I am going to make that man and woman pay for what they did to you.’ he reassured you, brushing his lips over yours softly ‘I remember talking to Greg about how amazing you were and I remember our first kiss like it was yesterday. Still, I cannot lie to you that memories keep emerging still, but I know now both who you are and what you mean to me. And above all, I remember the promise I made to you when we were little; and I am planning on keeping it if you let me.’  
  
By now, your tears had turned into a true waterfall and the sobs that reverberated from your heart made your whole body shake uncontrollably inside Jack’s hands. It was the weight of his words that offered you both relief and sadness, confusing your brain and making you unable to breathe, as if a huge burden had fallen on your chest. All those emotions that plagued Jack’s words were just too much right now. All of these revelations were too much.  
  
‘I….I don’t know Jack…’ you barely managed to whisper.  
  
You could clearly feel Jack turning into a statue in the sound of your words, which were like a strong slap across the face for the man that had just remembered the most important fact about his self; about his past.  
  
‘What don’t you know?’ he said, his voice clearly betraying that he was unable to comprehend what was going on.  
  
‘I don’t know what to think! I don’t know how to feel!’ you practically scream out ‘It’s just that so many things have happened, that I am left confused and unable to think clearly about all these things! I thought I was but I’m not! I knew that things would have changed once I found you, but it’s right now that I can’t decide what to do! Because we are not the same people anymore Jack and you know it! All those things that have happened lately, with you kidnapping me, the whole revelation of who you are and what I am to you are just too much! You mean the world to me, you really do, but you are not even the same kind of entity as me anymore! I don’t know if I want to stay with you and risk your life because I know that your friends are after us Jack! And also I am dying and if I stay with you, if I allow myself to indulge in you, I will only leave you broken hearted when I die and I don’t know which is worse! Us dying together or me dying and leaving you alone once more? And even if you do remember our shared past, are we really capable to love each other all over again?! I need time to figure things out!’  
  
By this time, Jack had retreated his hands from you as if you had just burnt him really badly and you were left a sobbing mess at the sofa, unable to stop all those words from coming out.  
  
‘You mean that you don’t love me anymore?’  
  
Jack’s voice was completely void of any emotion and right now, you knew that what was left of his heart was being broken. Still you nodded.  
  
‘I didn’t say that. All I said is that I need more time.’ you choke out.  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
‘Then I will give you time.’ Jack said softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halloween belongs to me (c)


	30. Chapter 30 Time’s Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a Lemon, you have been warned.

There was a certain breathtakingly wild beauty hidden inside the white days of winter.  
  
Everything had been covered by the softest yet heaviest sheet of the purest white snow after an endless night of continuous blizzard, with the snowflakes cascading the vast skies gracefully and decorating the cold hard ground with nothing but pure beauty. The tall trees of the forest had their branches completely covered, acquiring what could be considered as white leaves of snow, making their black bole come in contrast with the beauty around them; it was a surreal scenery to be looking at, since the various shades of white mixed with black served to make Heaven and Hell collide with one another in a dangerous embrace that could both be deceiving as well as beautiful. The skies were covered by a thick sheet of white clouds which appeared to be peaceful right now, but to the trained eye of any living creature that called the forest it’s home, it was easy to see that there was another blizzard coming tonight; maybe this was why all life seemed to have disappeared from the once lively forest, all creatures running to find cover for the cold night that was ahead of them.  
  
The cold wind was coursing through the tall trees and gently wrapping the whole forest inside a cold blanket, making every breath drawn by a creature with body heat to come out as nothing more than a cloud of vapor. It was truly extremely cold to be wandering around.  
  
That applied to the living creatures of course.  
  
A steady sound of wood being cut in two was the only thing which disturbed the silence of nature, apparently coming from the only small lake existing inside these steep hills; it would be nearly impossible to find it without help and the tall mountains which surrounded it, offered their own grand protection. Next to this secure lake was the small cabin which Jack decided to occupy along with _______, using their surroundings to their own advantage. The small building had been almost completely covered by the snow by now and even if the chimney never seized to produce black smoke from the burning fireplace, it was still too hard to locate it; that of course, if nobody heard the eyeless man chopping away wood for the impending blizzard tonight.  
  
It was the first time in a long while that Jack had been dripping with sweat which cascaded the black skin of his forehead and sturdy back, only heightened by the extreme heat the man was experiencing from his tiring and hard chore. The extremely sharpened axe he was holding steadily among his hands had acquired a rhythmical pace, moving up and down with what would be considered more power than necessary, slicing the wood just as easily as a knife slashes warm butter; those poor pieces of wood were being cut in half with such an extreme power, that their pieces would frequently be catapulted towards multiple directions, with the man paying them no mind until they increased in numbers. Then, he would seize his actions for just a little bit and move around in a circle to gather up the wood and throw them on a certain spot he chose to gather them, before taking the axe in his gloved hands once again and continuing on. It hadn’t quite occurred to the eyeless man that he had cut wood for more than simply tonight; the huge pile was surely enough to pass a whole week without repeating the process at all and keeping the fireplace burning all day and night.  
  
Still, Jack continued. Even if he was finally out of breath. Even if he was literally bathed in sweat.  
  
Because this strenuous job was exactly what he needed to avoid thinking at all. It was more than simply strange for the otherwise sharp-minded and ready-to-act killer to keep himself from making even the slightest of thoughts, but it was surely what he needed at the moment to keep his murderous nature and impulsive urges at bay and under his complete control. In the past, he used to pride himself in being completely cold and collected no matter what dangers or foes lurked in front of him, and even went so far as to mock the hot-blooded natures of the rest of the killers that resided inside this cursed forest, yet right now, he understood them completely. He was _feeling_ the very same anger urges like them. This is why he chose to chop wood today. This is why he purposely kept his gaze fixated on the large pieces of wood in front of him and carefully away from the windows of the house, from where your delicate self passed every now and then, going around with the chores of the house or just sitting to enjoy a TV show. Oh, no. He avoided looking at your form as if a mere glance on your frail self would be the final trigger to push him off the edge of what was left of his sanity. Who knew what the hell would happen then… and who knew if he would be able to prevent himself before doing any permanent damage.  
  
Three days. Three whole days had passed from the moment he confessed the return of his memories and his will to continue things from where you left them when he disappeared and it was three days from the moment you had practically shoved him away, claiming that you needed more time. Yes, it was true that he agreed on giving you some time, but as the days went by it was evident that he was running out of his endless supplies of patience. Right now, he just couldn’t sleep; your image and crying face, along with all the rest of the memories that still lingered hidden inside his mind where now coming back to him like a huge tidal wave, making him wake up bathed in cold sweat and out of breath after just a few hours of sleep. Right now, he just couldn’t eat; even if his endless supplies on fresh kidneys just waited patiently for him to devour, every time he picked one out, he would just bite once and return them back into the fridge. You were literally in his every thought, in every pore of his body and of course wandering around in front of him with your hair waving gently to your slightest move and your sweet jasmine aroma blinding his senses every time you passed by him, did nothing to help him calm down. His consciousness and unconsciousness were practically having a fierce and unstoppable battle which was emanating inside his head like a true battlefield which screamed with the desperate yells of the wounded, with his consciousness telling him to be patient and wait for your decision, while his other part, the one that was consumed with dark and dangerous thoughts, insisting that he had his fair share in waiting.  
  
For now, it seemed like his consciousness was winning and thus he did not say anything or even did anything.  
But for how long was the peace going to last?  
  
‘You pathetic f*cker. She turned you into her f*cking slave!’  
  
Jack was in the middle of slashing another large wood in half, when a gruff voice came through the woods, long before a tall and muscular figure emerged from behind a huge tree, making the auburn haired man turn his eyeless gaze to meet with him, as he was hunched over the axe. Don’t be fooled; Jack had realized Jeff as coming this way from a hundred miles away, since the forever-smiling man’s footsteps were not what you would call ‘silent’ or ‘careful’ not to be discovered. He just straight up marched to where Jack was, now coming out from the woods and looking at the eyeless man with what appeared to be an angry and pitiful gaze, his carved smile desperately trying to form an angry frown. Jack sighed and straightened his posture, resting the axe on his right shoulder and wiped the sweat away from his forehead, using the back of his hand.  
  
‘What do you want Jeff?’ he said coldly, a bit angry for the fact that someone interrupted his thoughts and certainly, the axe felt somehow light on his hand right now.  
  
The smiling man seemed to be pleased with himself and the comment he threw, crossing his hands over his chest and plopping down to the pile of woods, sitting among them with the very same ease a true king would have ‘Just dropping by to see how the whole ‘moving together with the sl*t’ goes. You haven’t eaten her yet right?’  
  
If Jack still had eyes, he would have probably rolled them ‘She is no food Jeffery and do not dare call her like that; she’s not like the ones you hang around with. Plus, you should have kept your obnoxious self away.’ Jack comments and returns to chopping down the wood.  
  
‘Wooooow lighten up Romeo; no need to act like a little b!tch.’ Jeff raises his hands in mock surrender ‘Guess it’s my own f*cking fault for coming over to let you know that sh!t is hitting the fan back at the house. But you are one ungrateful motherf*cker.’  
  
‘Just spill the beans and get out of here already.’ Jack responds, never even turning to look at the man as he throws two pieces of wood to the side, almost hitting Jeff straight in the face with the man ducking right on time to avoid them.  
  
In his response, Jeff remains silent for a bit, his unblinking eyes fixated at the other male who did his best to ignore him. It was evident that something bothered him, but right now, there were more urgent matters to discuss. Maybe Jeff would get the chance to pry a little bit, later. But altogether, it was rather strange for the murderous man to see his otherwise calm friend failing to control his temper and it didn’t need a genius to understand that ______ had her fair share on Jack’s lack of calmness; I mean, Jeff always liked to mess around and try out the man’s nerves to see where they ended, but it was the first time he appeared to be irritated.  
  
Jeff pressed his lips together ‘LJ, Grossman and Ben are trying to turn this damn forest upside down to find both you and your little pet. Ben knows that Sally is aware of your whereabouts but Hallow-b!tch never allows anyone near the kiddo, so they can’t find out from Sally and the b!tch would rather die than tell them where you are to begin with- not that she talks to anyone other than Sally of f*cking course. No one f*cking suspects me for anything and Slender keeps quiet about your location as well. LJ’s thinking of using Tinne to track you down, so this means you must f*cking do something, or both you and the human will get mauled.’  
  
‘I have already placed a circle of salt around the house, so Slaughterbeast can’t trace ______ at all. As for me, I’ve made sure my scent is all around the forest so he won’t be able to discern the right direction. Halloween told me the other night that they were searching for us, so I acted right away to seal this place more. Where you sure that they did not follow you here though?’ Jack says, resting the axe down and looking over at Jeff who rolls his eyes.  
  
‘You think I’m a f*cking rookie? They will track sh!t if they try to find me.’ he spits on the ground, his coal black eyes burning with disgust ‘But of course Hallow-b!tch would have told you if they were searching the forest; the sl*t can pick anything up from literally miles away. Where they close?’  
  
Jack nods ‘Thankfully, no. They only reached near the waterfall but never passed across.’  
  
Silence succeeds Jack’s words, but Jeff’s eyes are drawn to a movement coming from one of the windows of the house; looking up, he sees your form walking to the kitchen, opening a cupboard and fetching a mug from inside. The lack of a response makes Jack follow his friend’s stare, only to locate you and almost immediately, he turns to the wood and starts chopping away; pieces of wood and snow are catapulted against every possible direction, reaching all the way to Jeff who looks over at his friend and smiles even wider if that was even possible.  
  
‘What happened lover-boy? The girl doesn’t want to take your virginity?’ he mocks him smugly.  
  
‘Shut the f*ck up Jeff and stay out of this.’ Jack replied coldly.  
  
Jeff shrugs, keeping his smile unaltered nevertheless ‘You mad bro?’  
  
‘No.’  
  
‘Still’ the smiling man continues ‘She has a fine piece of booty if you ask me. Mind if I borrow her at some point?’  
  
The sound of a sharp object slicing the air reached Jeff’s ears almost immediately and the smiling man barely had time to raise his hand and grab the axe that was catapulted against his face, mere millimeters before managing to find its target. A low, deranged growl left his lips, but it was drowned away by the furious demonic scream that rose and two hands grabbed him hard by his shirt, raising him in mid-air with little to no struggle at all.  
  
Jeff cursed loudly and raised the axe to strike down his attacker, but once his furious eyes fell on a royal blue mask, surprise penetrated his insane mind and instead of attacking, he started laughing. He laughed so hard, that his voice echoed inside the silence of the forest like a gunshot and managed to make the angry-beyond-belief Jack be taken by surprise. His empty eye sockets widened behind his mask and his mind cleared, realizing where he was and what he was doing; he had just attacked Jeff, who was now laughing his cold heart out, for the comment he made about you. The comment he obviously made on purpose to extract the exact same reaction Jack offered him generously before thinking it through. He couldn’t help himself; the moment Jeff’s sly words left his mouth and reached Jack’s ears, the image of him and _____ flashed inside his mind and the beast took over faster than what he was able to register, consuming all of his being in mere seconds and turning him into nothing more than a demon. He was literally prepared to kill the smiling man with a single blow. He was literally ready to tear him into pieces.  
  
‘Not angry my $ss!’ Jeff laughed ‘So she really doesn’t want to take your virginity.’  
  
Jack released his grip around the black-haired man, who managed to fall on his own two feet before sitting down on the cut woods once again with his gaze fixated on his best buddy who turned his back to him and taking the axe in his two hands, he seemed to be studying it closely. It was evident that the sharp-minded man was once again consumed by his thoughts deciding what was important enough to share with his comrade yet would not expose too many things. It was the very first time that Jeff saw the man so deep in thought but once he opened his mouth to question him about it, Jack started talking.  
  
‘I expect that you might remember me telling you that I was able to regain pieces and memories from my human days the moment she revealed my real identity, isn’t that right?’ he looks over at Jeff who only remains silent ‘You will also remember my inability to locate her inside my memories, as well as regain some of them with her as the main theme. Well, I have remembered her since almost four days ago; she is _____ ______ my childhood friend who was always by my side, even now that I am… well, a member of the Creepypasta. She searched for me all of those four years that I was gone and I wasn’t even able to remember her until now. And also, no Jeff, I am not a virgin and I never was.’ he says, sparing no glance to the forever smiling man.  
  
‘Yeah right, and I am a ballerina. You haven’t scr*wed a single girl since I f*cking met you Jackie-boy.’ The forever-smiling man laughs out loud.  
  
‘Then you should get on your dancing shoes right away Jeff; I would not miss you dancing to The Swan even if the world was coming to an end.’ Jack jokes but as he sees his friend’s puzzled look, he only continues ‘Me and ______ were romantically involved for a month before I disappeared; it appears that I was in love with her far before that –years and years before- yet I found the courage to confess to her only then. I was back to our hometown for the holidays and just a week before going back to college and two weeks before being sacrificed, me and ______ completed our romantic relationship one night that my parents were out of town. So no, I am not a virgin.’  
  
The look that Jeff gave Jack in this single revelation, was surely a precious one; the man’s cut mouth fell wide open and his eyes were ready to pop out of his head and roll on the cold snow beneath, as his shock was painted all over his pure white face, making Jack leave a silent sigh under his mask.  
  
‘Well slap me in the butt and call me Mary!’ the man almost yelled out ‘Ben f*cking owes me a hundred bucks; I f*cking knew you got laid before turning!’ Jeff exclaimed.  
  
Jack offers him no response, yet Jeff only continues.  
  
‘So why the absolute f*cking hell aren’t you inside having some ‘fun’ with your lady and your pathetic a$$ is out here chopping f*cking wood?!’ for the first time, Jeff was sincerely wandering if Jack was so thick in the head to not see that all of his problems were practically solved. If it was him, you wouldn’t be able to walk for a few days after he would be done celebrating your reunion.  
  
‘She told me she needs some time to think if she will take me back or not.’ Jack replied coldly.  
  
‘’Xcuse me?’  
  
‘You heard me Jeff; she doesn’t know how she feels about me.’  
  
Jeff couldn’t believe what he was hearing and surely, Jack’s calm reaction to the situation angered him even more ‘I call BULLSH!T! Get your f*cking lazy a$$ in there Eyeless and b@ng that girl senseless immediately. What the f*ck does the ‘she doesn’t know how she feels’ bullcr@p mean?! She f*cking came all the way inside this f*cking forest, managed to live inside the Mansion and even bring back your memories and it is NOW that she doesn’t know how she f*cking feels?! And you f*cking let her decide on her own?! F*CKING MAKE HER SEE HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT HER AS WELL. IT’S NOT F*CKING ONLY ABOUT HER!’  
  
‘It’s not so easy Jeff; she needs some time to adjust to what I am!’ Jack was now the one raising his voice to his friend.  
  
‘If I remember damn well, she’s already f*cking dying! You don’t have time to f*ck around! If you accepted her for who she is then why the hell doesn’t she?’ Jeff exclaims angrily ‘Love works both f*cking ways.’  
  


**~ * ~**

  
  
When Jack came back inside the house, the usual tensing of your nerves send a shiver down your spine and your senses were briefly thrown on edge. It was the very same feeling you were getting deep down in your gut for the last three days in which he agreed to give you some time to sort things out. And don’t get you wrong, you were trying your best to come in terms with everything that had happened lately in your lives, yet you just couldn’t help feeling tensed every time Jack was around you. Engaging in awkward conversations with one another didn’t help your case either –it worsened it actually- and it was really obvious that Jack was in fact able to feel this sudden change in the nervousness of the air, even if he commented on it or not. But once the man walked back inside the house tonight, his hands carrying as much wood for the fireplace as possible, and your head perked up from the couch to meet with the man’s form, you knew that his mood wasn’t what you would call the best.  
  
The greeting he gave you would be considered more like a low growl of a word than a word in general, with the man ignoring you completely and walking over to the fireplace, he started placing the wood to the side carefully, allowing you a full view over his back and his rich auburn hair that were more disheveled than usual, betraying that he shuffled them nervously more than once.  
  
A certain thing that made you most proud of yourself, was the fact that you knew when Jack was in a bad mood and in the past, your attempts to fix it seemed to work each and every single time. So wanting this anger, which was like a thunder cloud over the man’s head, away from the house at least for tonight, you took in a weary and careful breath and decided to talk to him.  
  
‘You seem in a bad mood Jack. Is everything alright?’ your voice rang inside the dead-like silence, reaching your ears like a scream and making your broken heart pound inside your chest loudly.  
  
There was a long pause in which the man never even moved a single muscle.  
  
‘No, nothing is alright.’ Came the cold answer from his part, with the man remaining with his back turned to you ‘Have you finally decided upon what we are going to do?’  
  
There it was!  
  
Why the f*ck did you open your big mouth to talk to him?!  
  
In response, you sigh ‘I’ve been thinking about it non-stop in the last few days, but I really need a bit more time… it’s…. not as easy as I would like it to be…’ you confess, feeling your heart sink inside your chest. All the wave of emotions that were washing over you these past days were enough to worsen your already critical condition and it required double doses of your pills to keep away the pain enough for you to just relax or even sleep.  
  
What Jack says next makes your mind be penetrated with pure surprise.  
  
‘I am done waiting for your decision _______. So hurry up and decide right now.’  
  
Your eyes open wide with surprise and your jaw drops ‘Well it’s not a decision I can make that easily Jack. You can’t be possibly asking me to decide on impulse.’ You throw at him, anger flashing like fire inside your mind and your angry eyes nail themselves on the form of the man who calmly removes his mask, setting it aside.  
  
‘There is no time left. You should hurry up.’ he sighs.  
  
‘Of course we have more time! What makes you say that all of the sudden?’ you yell at him.  
  
From all the things you expected Jack to do, nothing had ever prepared you for what followed your angry yell. You barely had any time whatsoever to register that the man had turned towards you, rising on his feet at the same moment, with his now unprotected face turning into a grim mask of pure anger and frustration. His hand shot up towards the small table that divided you, grabbing the left side and in the time your eyelids needed to blink, the whole table was catapulted against the wall on your right. The small piece of furniture hit the brick wall with such power, that the wood broke into pieces and whatever mug or ornament was on it, was crashed into millions of pieces before falling down on the cold floor, with your stupefied eyes following its movement. The moment it was down, you averted your gaze back at Jack, flinching and throwing your hands protectively around yourself when you saw his expression. Pure anger and malice were words not enough to describe how angry the man was right now, towering threatenly above you, ready to strike you down.  
  
‘We have NO MORE TIME _____! IF YOUR BRAIN HAS FAILED TO REGISTER, YOU ARE DYING AND I AM FAILING TO FIND YOU A COMPATIBLE HEART TO MAKE THE TRANSPLANT YOU NEED! I HAVE SEARCHED AND SEARCHED FOR A HEART BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO FIT! SO NO, WE DON’T HAVE TIME WHEN YOU CAN DIE IN ANY GIVEN SECOND AND I WILL NOT LET OUR LIMITED TIME PASS. I. WANT. YOU. NOW!’  
  
Jack practically screams in your face, but oddly enough, a strong wave of anger washes over you, making you drop your defensive posture and rise on your feet in front of him, glaring daggers straight at the man.  
  
‘You cannot expect me to hurry up! WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH AND I CAN’T DECIDE WHAT THE RIGHT DECISION IS! DO YOU REALLY THINK I DON’T WANT AN END? BUT I CAN’T DO THIS JACK, NOT WITH WHAT YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, AN IMMORTAL MURDERER THAT TAKES LIVES FOR FUN. I USED TO LOVE YOU SO MUCH BUT I DON’T KNOW IF I CAN LIVE WITH THAT! SO NO, I CANNOT DECIDE YET!’  
  
And with those words, you turn and walk around the couch, trying to storm your way out of this room –and especially this situation- and return to the sanctuary of your bedroom. Even if you said horrible things to him, Jack’s face never even faltered so you knew that the one talking to you right now, was not Jack from the past, but the beast from the present. And you just couldn’t decide how you felt about it. How did you feel about the monster that your friend had become in the few years you were apart? It was a side of his personality that was more evident right now, with the insanity being a constant dark cloud hanging over your heads, but in reality, you just couldn’t decide what to do. The man was scaring you and drawing you at the same time and it was enough to drive you over the edge of sanity. How could you accept it?  
  
Still, you fail to even take two steps away from him before you feel a sturdy hand grab you hard by your hand and Jack yanks you back towards him, his face filled with a murderous determination and his lips so pressed together, that they become one thin, straight line. You try to struggle against his grip, but throwing his other hand around your waist, he pulls you against his chest roughly.  
  
‘If I, the murderous monster accepted you mortal _______ despite your defenseless self and mortality, why can’t you accept me for who I am? I cannot deny the fact that I wish things could go back to how they were, with us being mortals once again, but THIS is the reality _______. We are no longer the same. We are no longer the mortals we were. The only thing that is the same is my burning love and passion for you and I will not stand by as you die and not claim you as mine. As I said before, I am done waiting. The time I gave you to decide is up.’ he shook you hard ‘Now I get to decide for the both of us.’  
  
And with those words, his lips crash against yours hard.  
  
Jack’s hand grabbed you hard by the back of your neck, locking you at place and leaving you no room to draw it back, as his mouth fell on yours with pure greed taking over as his body smashed against your own, giving off such an aura of lust filled with wanting that was almost intoxicating to your already weary brain. Almost. Your hands curled into fists and immediately flew to his sturdy chest in a desperate try to push him away, anger eating away your mind and heart; you wanted him away from you! This wasn’t fair! You cried out in pain as the man sank his razor sharp teeth on your upper lip and Jack took full advantage of your half opened mouth to slip his tongue inside it, searching for your own. His taste, the faint tint of chocolate and pepper mixed with a strong dose of blood and the feeling of his left hand tightening around your small waist, lead you to leave out a hoarse sigh which you simply couldn’t stop. Sensing it, the man altered his kiss to be deeper and much more intoxicating, making your knees give out from under you.  
  
And it was simply not fair. Because as he was kissing you hard, he made it all the more difficult for you to think straight. To think that this was not your once happy and carefree friend but the monster which had arose from the darkest and deepest depths of his unconsciousness. That this wasn’t the man you had grown to love all those years back, but in reality, was a complete stranger that was more than capable of killing you at any given time. Yet you just couldn’t hold on to these thoughts as the seconds in which he was kissing you passed; your brain decided to be the traitor and surrender all of your logical thoughts to your body, which was startled at first, but now was starting to give in to the man’s advances. Because you will be damned with such a needy kiss he gave you. With such filled with lust and love kiss that shot down to your guts and warmed them up dangerously. You would be damned to give in to him, but as it all clicked inside your mind, you realized that… it wasn’t important. It wasn’t important to stop yourself from having him just because he was different now than before; people change all the time and surely, not even you were the same.  
  
The man was right as well: you were running out of precious time to enjoy one another as your heart was preparing to shut down once and for all, so why not enjoy each other while you could? Why were you holding back? Why did you think that this wasn’t the Jack you loved when in reality, he was nothing other but that. The man had long ago accepted your dark side, the one that was not afraid of dying if that meant getting to live with her loved one for a bit before ultimately dying, so why could you not accept the fact that he was another man, yet exactly the same?  
  
This time, your heart exploded for a different reason than your condition.  
  
The moment your hands flew to tangle themselves into his rich hair and you pressed yourself more against him, turning the kiss into a desperate one, the tidal wave of your emotions drowned everything and destroyed all of your fears, making you realize what you feared the most: not leaving him alone with your death. Walking out on him just because you didn’t want him to see you die. And right now, as you kissed him with all the might that was left inside your bruised and worn out body, you realized that all this didn’t matter. You would fight anything that was on your way, even if that included Death himself.  
  
Why?  
  
Because you loved him.  
  
More than anything else.

Jack kissed you hard, his hands traveling to your lower waist and his sturdy body pushing you back, until your waist came in hard contact with the kitchen island behind you, with the man never failing to continue the kiss that was a dark game of domination over your already surrendered self. Biting, tugging and sighing inside the kiss, the man was simply blowing your mind away with your own body responding to his touch by tangling your hands inside his auburn hair, pulling them the moment you bite on his lower lip. Your mind simply goes blank as you hear him growl lowly in pain and lust and you can't help by smile deviously as he pushes you against the cold counter roughly once again and by now, you can clearly feel his erection pressing against you. You barely have the time to inhale a deep breath when he detaches his mouth from your own, only to let it out in a loud moan as he bites the base of your neck hard, proceeding to lick the trace left on your delicate skin by his razor sharp teeth; his hands travel from your waist to your butt dangerously slowly, until they reach your knees and grabbing them hard, Jack literally throws you on the counter, shoving himself among your legs. Inside the delirium, you feel yourself leaning your head back and your legs tighten around the man's waist, moaning his name loudly as the man bites you hard on the base of your neck and among your breasts. All you know is that a tearing sound pierces through your ragged thoughts and Jack throws the remaining pieces of your shirt back, his head shoved among your breasts and hands tracing your waist and butt, before he decides to return and kiss you hard on the lips.

Right now, it was your whole world that was going up in flames, the flames of the most dangerous lust of them all, the kind of lust that was able to bring cities to the ground and damn people in eternal damnation. But all these were trivial. It did not matter that your mind screamed for you to stop and leave right now; your body had already surrendered you under his callous hands and sturdy body and the only thing you wanted to do was indulge yourself in him for all the nights of eternity. Because as his tongue slipped inside your mouth roughly yet again, your own was there to welcome it and play along with his dangerous game; because when he leaned you further back on the counter, with his hands tugging the edges of your pants, you raised your waist to help him with his task, until the said piece of clothing met with your torn shirt on the floor. It was right then that the coldness of the counter, mixed with Jack's hungry hands which grabbed on your butt hard, nails digging themselves inside your delicate skin, that send a violent shiver down your spine, making you tighten your legs around his waist and lean your head back.

The man saw the opportunity presented and rubbed his hard member against your own, earning him another moan and a gasp, as his left hand found its way under your bra and cupped your right breast hard. The soft spot hardened under his cold fingers that pinched it mercilessly and was eventually released from its clothing, as the other hand undid the bra, exposing your chest to the hungry man. Jack's lips detached from your own and lowering his head, he proceeded to take your left breast in his mouth. Your filled with lust sigh echoed all around the vast space of the room, as his merciless attack on your breast consisted of biting and licking hard, before moving to the other and repeating the process. Your whole body shivered under his touch and your fingers dug themselves on his back, pulling him even closer and feeling both your excitement and his erection growing dangerously more; your brain barely registered that his pants were still in the way, but it was clear that you wanted his hard dick inside of you soon, if not right now.

Jack let go of your breasts and planting a scandalously rough kiss in the space among them, he did the very same all the way down to your belly button, his nimble hands caressing the inside of your thighs, until the man planted a soft kiss on your belly button... and then licked his way back to you, making you arc your back and sigh in complete desire. Deliberately, he allowed his cold breath to fall in your ear, making you shiver and tighten your body around him, as his hand found its way on your lower part and cupped it roughly, making you let out a surprised cry.

'You sure seem eager now ______.' Jack whispered in your ear 'I want to see you cum hard ______; I want to see you losing it.'

And with those words that reverberated deep down into your lower part, he passes his hand inside your panties and reaching down to you, he pushes one of his fingers inside. Your loud scream is the only thing that echoes inside the room, as your hands shot up and grab him hard by the back of his neck, pulling him closer as he starts pushing his finger in and out, again and again, making you throw your head back and moan in complete pleasure. His other hand grabs a hold of your hair, pulling them back and he pushes another finger inside you, throwing you even more over the edge. Your eyes close and your mind fills with the movements of his fingers inside of you, moaning and whispering his name in complete bliss. Still, the man was far from done with you.

Without any warning, he pulls his fingers from inside of you and before you have the chance to realize what is going on, he has already flipped you over on the counter, grabbing your panties and pulling them as far down as he could. Your butt rubs against his erection as the man walks closer and you realize what was going on when you hear the sound of the zipper and the rustling of the clothes, followed by a light curse.

Jack leans over to you, his whole erection pressing against you and making you scream in pure lust, before the man grabs your neck and forces you to tilt your head to the side.

'Now you'll see how hard you make me from day one. But I'm not going to be gentle this time love.'

You weren't sure if it was his filled with pure sexual desire words or that he slapped your butt hard what made you black out for a single second, losing yourself in his words and actions, but when you felt him position himself and grab the sides of your waist, you never had the chance to react or even prepare. Jack thrusts in you hard, pushing his full, sizeable length inside of you; both yours and his moan sound at the same time, with the man commenting in pure bliss how tight you felt around his hard member. And he doesn't even wait for a single second. He pulls himself back and then slams against you yet again, earning him another moan, before he thrusts in and out again and again and again, your bodies roughly slamming against each other and your delirious moans getting tangled together; his hands continued to grab you by the waist hard and are actually the ones that pull you against him to match with his pace that was far faster and rougher than what you could imagine. His hard member pushes its way inside of you again and again and when the man grabs a handful of your hair you moan in pure pleasure and tighten yourself around him, making him lose it as well. It was right then that your mind starts to be filled with nothing but his movements, the rough waves of the impending orgasm hitting you mercilessly. Your mind becomes nothing but a mush yet when Jack realizes you were about to come, he pulls out of you immediately.

You were about to comment on what the absolute fucking hell he was doing, but your words were interrupted when he flipped you over so that you were facing him and grabbing you by the knees, he pulled you up and the moment he slammed you against the counter, he entered you roughly yet again. This time, you scream loudly and pull him as close as you can, throwing your head back and enjoying his rough movements inside of you, just as much as his ragged breath that fell on your skin. To tease him, you tighten your walls around his hard dick, earning you a surprised moan of pure pleasure. At that point, you did not know were one of you ended and the other started.

'You like this babe? Do you like my dick inside your little cunt?' he breathes out as he slams you hard 'If you don't cum, I'll let you walk away and never mess with you again, but if you do, I'm going to fuck you every night from now on. What do you say ____?'

And that was what threw you over the edge.

The way Jack pronounced your name as he was fucking you hard.

The wave of your orgasm hit you so hard, that the world was completely lost around you. Your head fell back and a loud scream of pure bliss left you, allowing Jack a full view to your face as you came right there, right now. Your body convulsed roughly and your screams of his name drowned inside the lustful haziness of your mind. It seemed like an eternity passed by until your weary heart calmed down and when it did, you realized that you were still hanging on Jack, unable to move a single muscle and with him still being inside of you. The man kissed your forehead with nothing but tenderness and love and with careful moves, he removed himself from inside of you.

Your legs would have surely gave out from under you from all the fatigue if Jack had allowed you to step on them but instead, the man picks you up bridal style and makes his way to the back of the house and towards the single bedroom. All the way there, you exploit the opening you found to his neck and kiss it lightly again and again, teasing him as you feel him tighten up and enjoying the thought of all the possibilities the night had in store.

Jack pushes the door of the bedroom open with his boot and walking over to the comfortable double bed, he sets you down with you kneeling on the soft mattress and looking at him with your gaze filled with nothing but love. The man grabs the ends of his shirt and pulling it off, he reveals his muscular but lean chest to your hungry eyes. Your hands are slow to travel on his ash black skin and the moment they reach his neck, you raise yourself to kiss him on the lips, feeling the man wrap his hands around your waist, softly caressing your skin with his thumbs and sending a violent shiver across your spine.

When you detach your bruised lips from his own to be able to breathe, the man starts to kiss your jawline tenderly and follows you as you hug him and lean back on the soft mattress, your back coming in contact with the cold sheets that matched perfectly with Jack's body temperature. After that, you failed to even register how fast Jack took off his pants, you only felt his once again hard member pressing the inner side of your thigh, making you lean your head back and let out a content sigh with a smile. His sturdy chest was pressing against your own and your legs were wide open to welcome him, and you were looking at his empty eye sockets with your breath cut short from all the longing. Jack kissed the base of your neck ever-so-softly and you leaned your head back, making a perfect arc as his kisses trailed down your now bruised body before he returned to kiss your lips and that was the moment you felt his erection sliding over your stomach. Your breath quickened from the lust produced by his movement and Jack let out a moan as his kiss deepened. There was something special in the slow yet deep way he was kissing you now, as if he was so afraid that you were about to dissolve into million little pieces in even the slightest pressure. It was still blowing your mind away though.

His hands roamed all over your body, caressing each inch of soft skin carefully and tenderly, passing over your waist, your sides your chest; every trace of your body hungrily awaited his touch and when his thumb passed over your breasts, your body arose to cup onto him in pure longing. Your hands got tangled in his hair as you let out a soft moan in his ear, before traveling to his sturdy back, grazing it with your nails lightly but enough to make his breath be caught inside his lungs. It was the time that Jack started rubbing his member against your lower parts, the moment his right hand reached out for your left own and grabbing it hard, nailed it on the bed over your head, before tangling your fingers together, making your heart explode with love to this simple move that meant so much nevertheless.

Once again, you found yourself ready to embrace him deep inside of you and in that thought, you wrapped your legs around his waist, crossing them behind and enabling him to have an easier way to your lower part. The man lost no chance and positioned himself on your opening, before kissing you lovingly once again and entering you slowly with his full, hard length. Your back arced and you let out a delirious moan inside the kiss, as he starts moving in and out, thrusting inside of you with murderously slow movements, making your insides melt in complete longing. Unable to hold it back, you let out a loud moan which is only accompanied by his own when you purposely tighten yourself around him, giving him a wave of extra raw pleasure. And Jack continues with the thrusting, moving inside of you slowly but roughly, making your vision blur and your mind drown itself inside the haziness of sexual lust, filling only with his movements and the desperation with which your hands were tangled together. The room around you fills with your moans and sighs as your mind starts to lose its grip around reality, taken away by Jack's movements. His dick inside of you after all those years of longing and pain was numbingly amazing and when the first wave of your orgasm hit you hard, you screamed out in complete pleasure.

Your orgasm was only accompanied by Jack's own, as his thrusting became rougher and more pleasurable, your screams tangling together until you collapsed against one another, breathlessly taken aback by the true magnitude of the longing you held for one another. Without losing a chance, Jack wrapped his hands around your small form, continuing to lean against you as if he was afraid that you were going to run away. Like that was ever possible. Tears bubbled on the edges of your eyes and you just couldn't keep your voice from cracking when you eventually spoke up.

'I missed you so much Jack... so, so much...' you breathe out, your chest convulsing from a sob, but Jack was already there to kiss the tears away from your eyes.

'I missed you too, every single day that we were apart. I love you _____. More than anything else.' He confessed, gently caressing your cheek.

All you could do, was offer him a pained yet relieved smile.


	31. Chapter 31 ‘All Sheep Must Die’

_You raised your head to meet with the clear sky, which was painted with a majestic purple color, acquiring its luxurious shades by the sun who was diving into the distant horizon, it’s last rays of light enough to illuminate the small meadow in which you had strangely found yourself; you had no recollection of how on earth did you end up in there, but the surroundings seemed rather familiar, as if you had stayed there many more times than what you could actually remember._  
  
 _The dark forest loomed on the premises of the small clearing, the tall pine trees enveloped long ago by the penetrating darkness which denied your eyes from any trace of any living soul, filling your heart with dread and pure horror that managed to creep its way inside, like the foe who appears like a true friend, only to betray someone on the very last moment. Still, something deep inside your soul pacified you by whispering that, as long as you were inside the meadow, you would be safe. Why?_  
  
 _Because you weren’t alone. Jack was also there with you. In the middle of the vast field which was covered by a thick layer of the bluest anemones you had ever set your eyes upon, the man completely matched with the blue surroundings, as if he was a part of them as well. Jack was standing right across from you, his head raised to meet with the sky above him and his tall posture calm and relaxed for the very first time, since you had reunited with him in his afterlife; it was the very same Jack as the one you were living with now, the one you had simply surrendered yourself into the previous night. His skin was pitch black and his eyes were absent from their sockets, the moment that black goo was cascading his majestic face, making it look like the man was crying black tears. Tears of utter sorrow. Tears that came in complete contrast with the sincere smile that had eaten away his beautiful mouth. Because the man was smiling from the very depths of his heart; and you knew it was a sincere smile._  
  
 _Unwillingly, you feel yourself smile as well in the sight of him and a happy chuckle erupted from the rock bottom of your chest, ringing around the beautiful meadow like a handful of small bells and making the man avert his gaze to meet with your loving own. Because right at this moment, the moment in which you simply observed the man standing peacefully, you knew very well that this was the man with which you were madly in love with. Even if you tried to deny it in the past with everything you had. In the end, it was the truth that shone like an everlasting diamond in the strong light._  
  
 _‘Aren’t the anemones beautiful tonight ________?’ Jack’s voice reverberated around the meadow and the man turned his head to meet with your smiling form._  
  
 _‘They are majestic.’ You agree._  
  
 _‘You know, they always reminded me of you in a way.’ he observes._  
  
 _In his words, you freeze on spot ‘What do you mean?’_  
  
 _The smile of the man only widens ‘That you have a fleeting life as well; just like Adonis. And soon, you are going to die too.’_  
  
 _You never really realized if it was his ominous sounding words or the sudden cold that spread over your legs, the thing that caused you to scream your lungs out; but you screamed. Your mouth simply fell open, your lungs filled violently with air and you needed not the fact that when you looked down, you saw two coal black enormous hands grabbing you hard by the legs to scream out in total horror. All you knew, was that one moment you were screaming at Jack and the next one, your body was catapulted backwards towards the darkness, with your hand shooting up to reach out for the tall man, who only continued to smile._  
  
  
  
  
Out of pure instinct, your body jolted you awake and your heart burst with the all-too-familiar penetrating pain which shot up inside of you to reassure your mind that you were actually just lying on the soft mattress of the large bed, carefully tucked under the warm covers. The extreme heat had enveloped your body completely and your brain needed a few minutes to adjust both to the blinding light of the bright day outside, as well as the fact of where you were and what you were doing. Well, it appeared that you had just made up with Jack and the both of you celebrated it by sharing a night to be remembered for the days to come. Even if you were unable to decide, once Jack kissed you passionately, every little detail and fear fell into place and apart, making you realize that you were simply unable to think of your life without the man, even if he was currently a completely different one; the base was still the same and you just couldn’t even guarantee that you, yourself, were the same as before. You would simply have to go along with everything and honestly, it seemed like a small price to pay.  
  
And for the first time in a long while, you felt absolutely calm.  
  
Wait..  
  
What is this sme-…  
  
Is something burning?!  
  
Oh my God, something is being set ablaze right as you are lying here on the mattress!  
  
Your thoughts were briefly interrupted as you were half way into stepping down from the bed –a clean sheet covering your exposed body- when you heard the loud curse coming from Jack’s voice.  
  
‘Holy mother of f*cks!!’  
  
In the flash of a second, you were already at the door, grabbing a strong hold of the doorknob and making it fly open wide in front of you, as your body catapulted itself on the small hallway and into the living room, scanning the whole place up to identify the enemy who had charged inside. Only to see a sight never seen before by your eyes, never even imagined by your wildest fantasies. Jack was standing by the oven and was now taking a few steps back to protect himself, as the frying pan that was right in front of him and onto the kitchen had enormous and vivid flames coming from within, reaching all the way up to the cooker hood, threatening to set it ablaze as well. For just a few seconds, you simply stood there and watched as your brain was too unable to understand what was going on to analyze the severity of the situation; you didn’t know which was worse, Jack trying to cook or the engulfed in flames pan?  
  
But when the second passed, you catapulted yourself towards the kitchen, trying to save the situation with pure determination running through you.  
  
‘JACK! GRAB THE PAN’S COVER RIGHT NOW!’ you briefly yelled at the surprised man, as you grabbed a hold of the pan and removed it from under the cook hood. From where you were standing, you could clearly see the olive oil burning inside the pan, something which only made things worse for the situation.  
  
‘How about we pour some water inside?!’ Jack yelled instead.  
  
‘ARE YOU INSANE? IT WILL EXPLODE!’  
  
Jack passed you the lid and thankfully, the moment you placed it on the torched pan, the flames diminished, until they completely died out, leaving the both of you looking at the coal black pan like it was ready to explode into million pieces at any small movement from your behalf. Along with the flames though, you felt your heart calming down considerably, with the pain subsiding and enabling your lungs to fill with air without any struggle. The first one to break the dead-like silence that had fallen among the both of you, was you.  
  
‘What on earth did you try to do Jack?’ you ask, averting your gaze to look at the eyeless man, who only shrugged in response.  
  
‘Apparently I tried to make breakfast; my cooking skills did not live to my expectations at all though.’ He confessed evenly with his face betraying no emotion, until he turned towards you and his face lightened up with a huge smirk ‘How did you sleep?’ he asked, gazing at you from top to bottom.  
  
Realizing that you were still dressed only with a sheet and probably with your hair disheveled from the pillows and deep sleep, a luxurious blush adorned your face and you hurried to look away before muttering an okay softly. Without so much as another word that would come out like a shrieking sound –you were sure about that-, you walk past Jack quickly to reach the shelter of the bedroom in order to get dressed. The moment the door closed behind you, you heard the man’s soft laugh reaching your ears louder than it should have and you were positively tempted to hit your head against the wall for your naivety; if there really was some kind of danger, Jack would have probably grabbed you the minute sh!t hit the fan, so your worry about someone finding you was without proof and the rushing to help out was only met with the man’s pleased –yet eyeless- gaze. Mad with yourself, you rush to change into a pair of warm clothes, sparing only a brief gaze out the window to meet with the newly fallen snow that had covered everything, cascading the grey skies still. Once you were ready, you let out a deep sigh and picking up all of your courage, you return to the living room, ready to face the man.  
  
Jack was peacefully sitting on the sofa, remote control on hand and changing the channels on the TV in a desperate attempt to find the News and he didn’t seem to notice you at all, up until you carefully plopped yourself next to him on the sofa, being very careful to keep your eyes straight ahead and to the cup of hot coco that was resting right in front of you. Maybe Jack’s attempts to cook breakfast did fail in the worst way possible, but he was still able to correctly make a cup of coco. Thankful for his thoughtfulness, you bring the cup on your lips and carefully down a huge gulp of the warm liquid, feeling your insides being instantly warmed up.  
  
‘Have you made up your mind about whether you will accept me or not?’ Jack’s soft voice resonated from beside you and from the corner of your eye you could see that the man was carefully keeping his gaze nailed on the TV.  
  
‘I believe that the night we spend together serves as enough proof Jack.’ you simply shrug, watching as the man finally turned towards you, worry lacing his majestic features faintly.  
  
‘It is not the same and you are aware of that. Actions do help clarify things most of the time, but words are needed to be said out loud for the weight of the situation to settle.’ He commented seriously, his tone making you gulp anxiously.  
  
‘Alright.’ You exclaim, looking at him dead serious and gazing deep inside his eyeless sockets, no matter how unnerving that was ‘If you want me to say it out loud, then I will for the sake of both of us. I am aware that things are a lot different now Jack and I am still struggling to come in terms with what you have become, a creature that is beyond any human comprehension abilities and outside of anything logical as well as a creature that takes lives in order to live. I am seriously trying to look past it and frankly, I will keep trying even for the whole eternity. Because you are Jack Nichols and you are my best friend and my only love and even if things are different now, I know that you are still you inside. And I love you. I love the man that you were and I’ll sure as hell love the man you have become. Love knows no limits; it’s only now that I can see that.’  
  
By the time you finish your little speech, Jack’s gentle hands wrap steadily around your own and the man brings them to his lips for a gentle kiss, so filled with nothing but pure love, that manages to make you smile a genuine smile, one that was reverberating from the very depths of your soul.  
  
‘I know that I am no longer the man you knew, but I am unable to fight who I have become. This is me right now and from now on and there is no way for things to go back. I know that you belong with your kind, the humans, and that you deserve a normal family and a happy life but I am selfish enough to keep you here, away from anyone other than me. I only hope that you will accept me in time _______.’  
  
His voice was, for the very first time since you had reunited, so filled with emotions, that you felt tears blooming on the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill out and cascade your smiling face.  
  
‘I choose to be with you Jack. Even with my limited lifespan, I still choose to be with you.’ you confess.  
  
‘I will not allow you to die on me ______. Just wait; I will find you a heart that will match perfectly. Tonight, I am going to town to look for it.’ He confessed, leaning in and gracing your lips with a gentle and quick kiss.  
  
‘You’ll be leaving again?’ you ask, quite taken aback; you just hoped you had a little bit more time tonight to just be together and enjoy one another, not get down to business immediately.  
  
But Jack only shook his head ‘We need to find you a heart and I’m not going to stop until I do. I am not losing you ________.’ He exclaims ‘But of course, I have made a few arrangements so that you won’t be alone tonight.’  
  
‘You did what?’  
  
‘We are expecting company that will keep you safe while I am away. They are about to arrive right about… now.’  
  
The moment the man finishes his sentence with a sly smirk, a soft knock pierces through the silence of the small house, reaching your ears immediately and making you avert your gaze from Jack to the door. Jack stands up immediately and walks over to the door, casually wrapping his gloved hand around the doorknob and turning it; the moment the small door opened, the cheerful face of an extremely young girl that was all too familiar appeared, followed by the cold expression of an older girl that appeared to be frozen in time.  
  
‘_______!’ Sally exclaimed happily and before you even had the chance to stand up and smile at her, she had already shoved herself inside your warm embrace, hugging you with all the power her small body could provide you with.  
  
The only thing that you manage to do, is let out a small chuckle ‘Hello again Sally. I surely missed you.’ You say, kissing the top of her head.  
  
‘Sally and Halloween will keep you safe for tonight while I am away babe. I will make sure to be back before dawn and with a matching heart for you this time.’ Jack drew your attention once again, and once your eyes met with his lean figure, you noticed that he was already wearing his navy blue mask. You watched him as he shoved his scalpel inside his pocket.  
  
Frowning lightly, you try not to look too sad about him leaving so soon. You would really prefer it if the two of you got to spend the night alone once again, catching up with everything that the other had missed.  
  
‘Don’t worry too much about finding me a heart Jack. I am content with what I have already.’ You comment.  
  
‘I made a promise to save you _____ when we were just children. And this is me keeping this promise.’  
  
In his words, your whole body freezes and your eyes open with surprise; you didn’t expect him to remember that small part of your childhood at all, let alone bring it up right now. So you remained speechless to only watch him, as he turned his back and walked out of the house, leaving you alone once again in order to find the only thing that would save you from death’s claws. A heart.  
  
  
  


_**~ * ~** _

  
  
  
  
You had to admit that Sally was a pretty good person to keep you company.  
  
Having to stay locked up in the small cabin, waiting for the time that Jack would come back and all at the same time having to deal with your fears that were thrust upon you as soon as darkness prevailed outside the windows of the house, signaling the coming of the deep night, was not an easy task. This was why you were so grateful that the little girl was with you. Her upbeat personality and prankster side surely did keep you on edge in a good way and after a while you found yourself being completely consumed in the tasks you had picked up together. Whether that was chasing one another all around the house, with your loud laughter filling the vast spaces or when you sat down and chatted away while baking cookies, time seemed to fly past you. You had a pretty good chance to find out how Jack was like before you came along inside his undead life and what you heard about the rest of the residents of the hellish Mansion, were filed away inside your brain in case you needed it in the future. And you wished that you wouldn’t.  
  
Sally appeared more than eager to talk about pretty much anyone –excluding Slenderman and Halloween for a strange reason that you failed to understand- and you were amazed and taken aback to notice that her stories were catching your attention and engulfed you inside her strange world, making you thirsty about finding out more on how their world worked. Every now and then you were sparing a glance outside the windows, trying to get a glimpse of Jack’s return, but the only thing you did see was the red-headed girl going around the house and keeping guard in order to prevent anyone from attacking you. Halloween’s presence was hanging heavily in the air outside the house and you weren’t sure if you should feel protected or threatened by her. She surely weirded you out though; there was something….unnerving... in her whole existence, even more unsettling than the one Jack had when you first met him…  
  
But you eventually payed it no mind, since you had bigger things to worry about.  
  
Like finding a good Disney movie to watch with Sally.  
  
‘Sally, you want me to check if there are any cartoons on the TV? There are no Disney movies tonight!’ you ask loudly, crouching in front of the TV and trying to change the channels, though the constant static made it difficult for you to concentrate. Was there a storm coming?  
  
‘Yes please!’ the girly voice responds.  
  
‘Just make sure to properly wash your hands bef-!’  
  
The rest of the sentence you were about to pronounce was shortly cut into pieces. Your mouth fell open in surprise but there was no way for any voice to come out. Why? Because your neck was being pressed together in an iron grip. From one second to the next, the whole happy aura of the house changed to a cold, murderously dangerous one, along with the constant static of the TV. For the strangest of reasons, something had wrapped around your neck so hard, that your air pipes were being crushed right inside your neck. Out of pure instinct, your hands fly to your neck, dropping everything you had been holding on the floor with a loud bang. Your brain commands you to do anything in your power in order to stop this excruciating feeling, making your mouth fall open in order to breathe in the all-too-important air as your lungs start informing you that your oxygen was running low; yet nothing, absolutely nothing had ever prepared you for what you would feel once you clawed on your neck.  
  
There was a hand holding your neck in a lethal, iron grip.  
  
Sanity was the very first thing that escaped from your mind. All switches turned off inside your head and your hands literally clawed on the hand of the enemy that seemed to have appeared out of literally nowhere. It did not matter at all that your oxygen was starting to run on dangerously low levels, your nails dug themselves on the soft flesh of the cold hand with all of your might and your body sifted out of its own volition, in order to locate the enemy and defend your broken self the best you could. Only that all the past experiences you had in life, all the logical things you had come across in your lifetime, nothing had ever prepared you for what you would see when you involuntarily turned towards the TV screen.  
  
If you were still able to breathe, you would have probably screamed till your soul came literally out of your mouth; if your heart did not stop right then and there, if God hadn’t stricken you dead, then you didn’t know what would. Because what your eyes fell upon was nothing out of the realm of earth, logic, physics or anything you had seen. The hand that was still tightening around your neck into a deadly grip was coming straight out of the TV screen.  
  
Your brain struggled to find the right thoughts to form, both pressured by the extremely bizarre thing and the lack of oxygen, but it was still working just fine for your survival instincts to kick in. In a desperate attempt to get whatever the thing was to let you go, you turn and start kicking everything in your path, struggling like a real madwoman against it. You were not going to let it get you, you were not going to die here, you were not leaving Jack alone every again! So you continued to struggle, kicking the things you had dropped, kicking the coffee table until…  
  
Something cold bathed you from top to bottom.  
  
In the pure shock that penetrated you, you failed to feel the grip loosening around your neck; neither did you hear the piercing scream that came out of the TV, ringing around the small house like the cry of a Banshee. All you felt was the cold liquid dripping from your whole body and Sally standing right in front of you with an empty water bottle on her fragile hands and her green eyes filled with murderous determination. Apparently, she had bathed you with the water and that was all it took for the thing to let go of you. But once your brain realized you were able to breathe pure air once again, your eyes closed tightly and you fell on the ground, coughing loudly and trying to inhale as much air as you could, feeling your lungs melt inside your chest. When you were able to open your eyes once again, all you saw was Sally raising her hand.  
  
An invisible power came over you, the moment the little girl pointed her small hand at you, and your body slid across the floor and onto the left with immense speed, making you scream out loud in horror as your hands flew to protect your face since the collision with the sofa was inevitable; only that it never came. The moment you were inches away from the sofa, the heavy piece of furniture was catapulted into the air where it remained, enabling you to slide safely under it and only stop when your reached the kitchen island. And it wasn’t only the sofa. As your eyes adjusted to the scenery around you, your mouth fell open when you realized that every single furniture inside the house was floating into the air, like some invisible force had made them fly, or like some poltergeist was taking over the whole space. You had never seen anything like it before and once your eyes were content with looking at the grand spectacle, they returned to the figure of the small girl who was now stepping right in the middle of you and the TV, her small hand pointing at the furniture like she was their master and her back turned towards you.  
  
‘I promised Jack to keep her safe Ben. So I won’t let you touch her.’ She addressed the TV.  
  
To your complete horror, a chuckle emerged from within, sounding louder than the static.  
  
And then…  
  
A hand, maybe the very same one that had grabbed you, reached out of the TV. Only that it wasn’t alone.  
  
At first, it was the hand alone, reaching out of the TV screen with the thin fingers gripping the air, trying to find something to hold on into but finding nothing at all. Then, another hand grabbed the edge of the screen, clawing on it in order to pull whatever was left of the hellish creature out of it. And hellish it was. The next thing you saw was a face, a face of what appeared to once have been a blonde boy, maybe around thirteen to fourteen years old, with disheveled golden blond hair. As your fearful eyes wandered on his face even more, earth was lost under your feet. Where the eyes should be, the normal eyes of a human being now rested two black abysses with two red moons decorating the pitch black surface, while bright red blood oozed from them like the black tears Jack had. The malicious grin that had taken over the once childlike face made you scream and the torn clothes that he wore were nothing but a green elfish attire. The moment the shoulders started coming out of the screen as well, the boy locked its stare with your own, turning his head towards you and tilted his head to the side like it was crooked.  
  
Your scream penetrated the silent night.  
  
Where, in Heaven’s name had you gotten yourself into? Where on Earth was Jack when you needed him the most? Why did creatures like him exist in this world and why on earth couldn’t you stop screaming, cradling yourself like a little child and wanting to claw out your eyes and heart.  
  
Still, when Sally turned her innocent gaze towards you and spoke, her voice sounded clear and loud even among the whole madness.  
  
‘Get out of here ______! Run!’  
  
You did not need another word.  
  
Your very own soul takes charge of your body. Just as if you were gazing upon your very own self in a dream, you felt yourself close your mouth and inside a complete daze, your feet coming in contact with the cold floor, before your body is catapulted along with your soul against the front door and towards your only means of salvation. Some of the furniture fly somewhere behind you and you don’t have to spare a single gaze back to know that Sally, the little girl that was a poltergeist, was battling the boy that had come out of the TV. As for you, you crashed against the door in full speed, with the thin piece of wood breaking and enabling you to go out in the chilling air of the winter night, screaming out for the only person that was close enough to hear you.  
  
‘HALLOWEEN!!!’  
  
With your feet making you run as fast as you can, with your heart ready to jump out of your chest, your eyes immediately lock on the red-headed girl who was running towards you as fast as she could, her sledgehammer tightly held inside her left hand and her orange eyes burning like two vivid fires. Right now, she did not scare you at all. Right now, she was the only mean you had to get to safety and honestly, you would take it as it was. Despite all that though, you didn’t fail to notice that the girl was quite battered as well, the marks of a fierce battle left on her pure white skin; bites, bruises and slashes decorated her hands, torso and face, yet no blood was coming out whatsoever. A speck of curiosity flashed inside your mind, but before you were able to pose a question, the girl was already grabbing you hard by the arm and one single gaze around you was enough to answer whatever question you had.  
  
There were four men standing around the house, some of them you had seen before, some of them you were seeing for the very first time. Like the man with the white mask and the monochrome clown that had scared you sh!tless when you were back at the Mansion. The clown was standing right next to a rather tall man with blond hair and a white mask like the ones doctors had in the middle ages and he was smiling the very same deranged smile to you as the clown; a victorious, sadistic smile. The other man with the feminine white mask was standing on your left and as you turned towards him, the only thing you saw was a silver flash.  
  
A hand shot up in front of you.  
  
And the orange hatchet stopped inches before touching your head and splitting it in half, stopping right in front of your eyes with the silver blade shining threatenly.  
  
Halloween let out a deranged, low growl behind you and as she lowered the hatchet, you saw the boy with the orange goggles standing a few meters away from you, his mouth guard in place and his goggles shining a bright orange in the strong, silver moonlight. A loud laughter echoed, making you avert your gaze back at the monochrome clown, only to see his hands being prolonged and eject themselves towards you, black claws opening to grab you and tear you into pieces immediately. You took in a sharp breath, but the red-headed girl was faster to react next to you. Stepping to the side to get some space, she throws the hatchet against the clown, finding him straight in the middle of his head. You literally saw the blade tear his forehead in half and his head moving backwards, but in front of your taken aback self, the clown laughs even more and removes it.  
  
What kind of monsters were these?!  
  
‘Follow me human.’ An alluring voice sounds and Halloween grabs your hand once again, the both of you taking off running towards the frozen lake, running with everything you had in you.  
  
You tried to question her, tried to make some reason out of her running towards it, but as soon as the girl sets a foot on the solid ice, you obey her completely and start running with all your might behind her on the ice. It was the only way out of there and there was no room for hesitation if you wanted to live; the monsters that resided inside the Mansion had finally found you and it was the worst case scenario, as Jack was far away from you. The ice creaked under your feet and you couldn’t help but throw a gaze over your shoulder towards the shore, staring at the black figures as you distanced yourself from them, following the murderous girl who was your only ally for now and that was leading the way onto the thin ice that remained solid under your feet. But for how long?  
  
No matter how much your lungs burned you, no matter how much your legs pained you, no matter how much your heart pierced you with nothing but excruciating pain, you followed the girl and kept running under the silver moonlight, seeing the shore of the lake coming in sight in front of you, with the black trees towering above it.  
  
It was right then that you heard an animalistic growl which made your head turn back and your eyes to fixate on a newly appearing creature that was growling like a lion on the shore from which you ran.  
  
Whatever it was, it was really huge, standing so tall, you were able to notice it large size from the very middle of the lake. It had dark gray fur, and on its face were eyes in the size of dinner-plates, bloodshot red, and fixed on the both with the wild excitement of a true hunter. It had a long unnatural smile stretching across its face, reminding you of what you have seen in the rest of the monsters when they locked eyes with you, nearly all the way up to two sets of pointed ears on its head. Your brain immediately filed it as having a somewhat twisted feline, canine anatomy with eight legs in total, four on each side, and it bore a pair of stripes down its two very front forelegs. It had four sets of scarlet spines along its back that looked something much more than simply menacing and dangerous and as if all that weren’t enough, it carried a threatening tail that had what appeared to be a fearsome hook shape.  
  
All you hear is Halloween cursing loudly in front of you and the girl turns and walks back with a graceful move, pushing you forward and turning back towards the others. With a sharp move, she draws her sledgehammer and raises it in the air with both hands, right as the beast screams from the shore and stepping on the cold ice, starts running towards the both of you.  
  
‘Human, run towards the mountain and you will find the path towards the city. Do not stop if you don’t find Jack.’ Halloween’s voice advised you, with the girl never turning to look at you ‘And don’t look back, whatever happens.’  
  
There was nothing else you could do. Your mortal self was useless in front of their superior powers.  
  
Turning, you start running once again at full speed, eyes nailed on the shore which appeared to be closer than before and you spare no glance behind you. Not even when you hear Halloween scream maliciously, with her voice sounding more like a demon, rather than a girl’s. Not even when you feel her sledgehammer coming in hard contact with the ice under you and the said ice starts breaking. Not even when you hear the beast crying out loudly. All that was in your mind right at that moment was to get out of the lake and run to Jack before his former comrades got a hold on you. The ice begins to break all around you, crumbling down and submerging inside the dark waters like a cold kingdom and you have to watch your step and jump from ice to ice every now and then, trying with everything you had not to fall into the murky waters. One false step and it would surely be the end of you. One false step and you would die.  
  
So when you finally reach the shore, taking that single step on the solid ground, you never look back.  
  
The forest flies all around you and the rocks and steep spots of land pose no threat to you, as your survival instincts and the thought of Jack fills your brain, turning off all the switches that made you who you are, that made you sane. Because what on earth was sane right now in your life? You were running inside an endless black forest, trying to get as closer as you can to your possessed lover, with almost an army of monsters hot on your tracks. How on earth were you supposed to even imagine that you would find yourself in this kind of situation when you firstly began your journey of finding him? Of finding the love of your life? But even if you could go back, if you could go back to the peaceful days of college life and were offered with a normal year, a normal family and a normal life, you would still throw that all away for just a few months beside Jack, beside the only man that showed you what real love can do, that real love can far exceed the boundaries of species, age and enemies. And it was for that life only that you were now running inside the forest, with tears cascading freely from your eyes and each step taking you closer to him, closer to his protective arms, even if you knew that the chances of surviving all this were slim.  
  
Because with a single gaze back, you could see the monochrome clown and the goggled man running hot on your tracks, trying to reach you and end your life in the most painful way possible. And yes, your worn out body had already started to pain you, making it a lot harder for you to keep running, but you did kept on running. It was your soul that was moving you. It was your very soul that was seeking for her soul mate and his protective arms that kept you running. It didn’t matter that at some point you saw Jeff appearing out of nowhere and trying to stop the other two, it was already too late for you to stop before you found Jack.  
  
Right ahead of you, the forest opened into a large clearing and without a single thought, you eject yourself out of the forest line, turning your head back to see where the others were. But instead of seeing them follow you into the clearing, the most unexpected thing happened.  
  
They stopped!  
  
They literally stopped right on the edge of the tree line and stayed there, looking at you as you ran away.  
  
A loud laugh escapes your lips.  
  
Until you look back in front of you again.  
  
And you stop dead on your tracks.  
  
You literally froze right where you were standing, eyes opened wide with surprise and terror, failing to even hear whatever Jeff screamed behind you.  
  
There was a monster standing right in front of you, just a few meters away.  
  
And it was a true demon.  
  
‘What do we have here?’ it muttered, its voice coming straight out of the pits of Hell ‘A small lamb.’  
  
Daring to gaze upon him, it was quite obvious that the very pits of Hell had opened and spat out one of their own demons. As the demon stood right in front of you, you were sure that his size was increasing with each step he took towards you, already surpassing the height of 13 feet. The demon had coal black skin with red markings running over his chest, hands and legs. His eyes were pure red and his mouth was nothing but sharp teeth. He had two horns on his head and a pair of demonic wings on his back, while he flexed the claws of his hands with every step he took towards you, never taking his pit-less eyes off from you. The dark aura that surrounded him was sickening but for the strangest of reasons, you couldn’t find your feet to run away; standing like a statue in the middle of the clearing, you could only watch as he was approaching you, unable to do the slightest and bathed in cold sweat.  
  
‘I see that the wolves are chasing the little sheep. Too bad I will be the one to end you.’ He chuckled, the sound reaching deep down to shred your very soul into pieces.  
  
When he took the last step in front of you, with you leaning your head back in order to gaze at him better and with violent sobs emerging from deep inside your chest, the demon had already reached 32 feet. He was enormous and as he raised his huge hand, preparing to strike you down, it was only then that you finally realized.  
  
You were about to die.  
  
‘All sheep must die.’ He chuckled triumphantly.  
  
‘_______!’  
  
A voice shreds the night in half, a voice all-too-familiar, which is able to pull you out of your horrified trance and make you turn your head to look at your left, your teary eyes immediately falling on the beloved navy blue mask as a beyond surprised and horrified Jack steps out of the forest line, too taken aback by what was happening right in front of him to be able to react fast for the very first time.  
  
‘Jack..’ you murmur, knowing that he could hear you and glad he could do so ‘I love you.’  
  
You never even realized when the hand came down swiping you and hitting you hard.  
  
You only heard one thing before everything went black.  
  
‘______________!!!’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halloween belongs to me (c)
> 
> Slaughterbeast belongs to my dear friend Ticci Twilly (c)


	32. Chapter 32 When Demons Cry

_**‘There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief.’  
—Aeschylus** _

  
  
Nightmares had come alive tonight.  
  
Today, in this final day, all the nightmares that lingered inside Jack’s mind had finally become solid, obtaining real flesh and bones, going ahead to try and take away whatever Jack held most dear. And that was none other than you.  
  
Everything was wrong about this night from the very beginning. Jack didn’t want to go away, he didn’t want to leave ______ alone especially tonight, after their reconcile and revelation of their feelings towards one another; it felt wrong to just leave you behind –even if you were protected- and venture out into the dark night, but the need to get you a heart was the top one priority if he wanted to keep you alive. Alas, when he got to the town and searched all the hospitals, he still failed to find a matching heart; he even searched among the humans that were going up and down the streets, but nothing came close to matching ______’s heart. Defeated he decided it took him too long and calling it a night, he started coming back. All that until his exceptional sense of hearing picked up a frantic heart that was running through the forest. It was your own heart, he had heard it far too many times to be able to recognize it from million miles away, yet what shook him to the ground was the fact that there were steps following and evil presences lingering fast on your tracks: you were being chased.  
  
And he dropped everything.  
  
He dropped anything he might have been holding, grabbing his sharp scalpel on his hand and starting running as fast as he could among the luxurious forest, trying to get to you before the devils did. He knew that they would kill you upon catching you and the demon inside of him growled angrily and threatened to devour what was left of his sanity in the mere thought of arriving too late, already preparing to take down whoever would even dare to touch you. But fate decided to play a very dirty, awful game to the eyeless man, who arrived inside the clearing only to be frozen solid right where he was standing. He had found you. To all the Gods above, he had finally found you, safe and sound and standing right in the middle of the vast field, your weary self a little worn out but in good shape. But you were standing right in front of Zalgo. You were standing right in front of the deadliest of foes to the Creepypasta, with the said demon ready to strike you down.  
  
Jack never even heard his own self screaming your name.  
  
And he screamed. He screamed as loudly as he could, drawing your attention almost immediately. Your angelic self turned and you smiled at him.  
  
When Jack was a human, he could vividly remember that he believed in the existence of both angels and demons alike, believing in a God that was all-too-merciful and kind; alas, when he turned to the demonic creature he was now, this belief shortly left him and reality stepped in. Still, as you turned and smiled at him, Jack was sure that he was gazing upon a true angel. You were simply breathtaking. You were surely angelically beautiful right at that moment, if Jack was anywhere near able to identify what an angel looked like. Because as you smiled, the whole world crumbled and bowed in front of your smile that was as serene as it was filled with everlasting love; your (h/l) (h/c) hair waved gently around you on the soft breeze, framing your face gracefully. Tears were cascading your bright (e/c) orbs and trailed down your cheeks, yet you continued to smile. It was the said smile that stopped Jack. It was that very smile that gave him flashbacks that reminded him of why he loved you more than anything in this world. Above all else, he loved you and you alone.  
  
‘Jack.’ You whispered, your voice reverberating like a gunshot inside the completely silent nature. Everything was standing still; everything was waiting for the angel’s last words.  
  
‘I love you.’ You smiled.  
  
All Jack saw, was the enormous hand coming swiping towards the ground. You just stood there, smiling at him, your face finally serene and betraying all the love you felt for the man in all of its magnitude and glory; surely, if an impure soul was looking upon you at this very moment, at this final hour that you own soul was shining with the divine light of all Heavens above, it would avert its gaze elsewhere, ashamed to gaze upon such innocence and purity. Yet death was coming for the angelic girl in the shape of the devilish creature standing before you. Death was on his way. And the whole universe was holding its breath. All sound had seized, all movements had seized, except for Jack who shot himself forward, screaming your name as loud as he could and watching in pure terror the enormous hand reaching you. Everything stood still.  
  
Your small body disappeared the moment the hand hit you.  
  
Jack screamed.  
  
His hand shot forward and black, goo-like tears cascaded his face the moment sanity left him once and for all.  
  
Someone screamed.  
  
The demon inside Jack saw the blurry figure which was your fragile body falling from the dark skies somewhere far inside the forest and immediately commanded the possessed and eyeless man to run towards you, avoiding Zalgo’s second attack for mere millimeters; nothing mattered. The demon barely registered Zalgo’s presence. Jack barely registered anything at all. The only thing that prevailed inside his mind in this single moment was you. He had to find you. He would find you. There was not a single force inside this world that would be able to keep the man away from you. Not even if Hell itself opened up and all the demons were set loose to hunt him down; right now, the animalistic frenzy that had taken over him was more than enough to rip apart anyone that even dared to think of stopping the man, as he catapulted himself among the trees, following the strong scent of your blood that laced the air like the most alluring bouquet of jasmine. He would rip apart God himself if he had to. The demon resting inside Jack’s soul had awoken and growled loudly, seizing only when he passed a few more trees and found you.  
  
No words would ever be enough to describe what Jack saw when he finally located and walked near your body.  
  
A sane person would have gone crazy.  
  
An angel would have cried.  
  
Universe would have crumbled.  
  
The demon inside Jack howled.  
  
You were laying on the soft, covered with snow ground, your body sinking softly on the fresh snow. At that very moment, it would almost be quite easy for anyone to think you were some kind of a living doll, an angel that has fallen from the great Heavens. Almost. Because as Jack gazed upon you, he screamed out of pure horror and pain. A man, whose soul had been sacrificed to a bloodthirsty demon and he himself had become some sort of hellish creature that preyed on the organs of any living human, screamed out of pure horror. Why? Because there was a broken angel right in front of him. And it was broken beyond repair. Where your legs were, now rested nothing but a pair of broken flesh; every bone on your legs was broken into million pieces, with the parts having torn the flesh and protruding every here and there, staining the pure snow with ruby red blood. The very same went for your hands, torso which were laced with the bones that decided to come out and if that wasn’t enough, your whole body was bend on a weird angle; your spine must have shuttered completely inside your body, twisting your legs and waist on a weird angle. Right at that moment, you were nothing but a bag of shuttered bones. The most horrifying of things, was that your (e/c) eyes were still open and staring into the void like two soulless pits.  
  
Yet your heart was still beating.  
  
Someone grabbed Jack by the shoulders and shook him violently, but his screams were nothing but a blur to the eyeless man, whose brain had seized and the demon had finally quieted down, embracing the thought that death would be the only salvation for him now that you were gone. There was nothing that would keep him going if you were dead.  
  
But the one shaking Jack to his senses, continued with undiminished interest.  
  
‘WAKE UP YOU F*CKER, SHE ISN’T F*CKING GONE YET!!!’ a certain lidless man with black hair and a cut smile shook Jack.  
  
‘WE MUST GET HER BACK TO THE LAB! YOU CAN STILL SAVE HER!’  
  
Save her…  
  
Save the angel…  
  
Save _______.  
  
As if a light went on inside Jack’s mind, the control over his body returned and one single thought shone inside the darkness of his mind.  
  
SAVE HER.  
  
With a shift move, the man picked you up wordlessly, minding not to damage your neck that would result in your death and making sure he was holding you correctly, he started running with all his might towards the direction of the house, with Jeff hot on his tracks. As he was running, he was able to see the rest of the Creepypasta that had gathered around while chasing ______, now watching silently as the man ran past them and he just couldn’t feel anything but pure hate for them all; if _____ died, he would chase them all down one by one and kill them in the most torturous way possible just for the hellish creatures to pay for the evil they had caused, for the plague they threw upon the world with their mere existence. They were abominations, with Jack included, and their reign would end if ______ died. But she wouldn’t. He would save her, even if that meant selling his own soul all over again or even traveling to the Other Side to get her back.  
  
He was not going to lose you.  
  
The door of the house was already pulled out of its hinges, so there was no need for him to kick it off his way; everything inside the house was torn and broken, signaling that a great fight had taken place but Sally and Halloween were nowhere to be seen, probably missing the return of the man. But it didn’t mattered. All that mattered was that the moment Jack took a step inside the lab, everything was exactly as he had left it, ready for use and waiting for him to aid in his attempt to literally resurrect you from the dead.  
  
So the man laid you gently on the medical bed and started running around to gather what he would need. Jeff was there by his side to help him out, with the lidless man making sure to keep his ear into making sure that your heart continued to beat all at the same time giving Jack various medical supplies and cleaning the blood that had covered your fragile body with a clean cloth, in order to aid into the correct treatment. Jack screamed various orders to Jeff and the man complied without a single word, sometimes cursing out loud as both of them started wrapping your body tightly with bandages. Jack connected you with various machines, a cardiographer and with two IVs, one containing blood that matched with your blood type and the other one filed with his own black blood. All they had to do is keep your weary heart beating and no obstacle would stand in Jack’s way to bring you back. Miraculously, your heart, as much fragile or broken as it was, kept beating slowly but steadily, being the only organ inside of you right now that was keeping you alive and sealing your soul inside you still. What an irony is it not? What would be the death of you was actually your last line of defense against Death. And Jack was going to need all the help he could get.  
  
‘Bring me the scalpel.’ Jack ordered Jeff.  
  
‘Right here. I’m wrapping her legs, you treat the doll’s chest.’ The other man growled.  
  
‘She will need more blood, I have some in the fridge.’  
  
‘Here you go.’ Jeff tossed the spare blood bag ‘You sure she can make it?’  
  
‘As long as her heart keeps beating, I will do whatever it takes.’  
  
‘I’m with you man. It was a sneaky kick in the n*ts what the others did. I tried to reach her first, but they beat me to it.’ Jeff explained as he wrapped your legs tightly into some clean bandages.  
  
‘If she dies, I’m going t hunt them all down.’ Jack murmured more to himself than to Jeff, still the forever-smiling killer growled.  
  
‘And Slender has ordered you not to give her a heart transplant right?’  
  
‘If I had a heart, I would transplant it to her no matter what. To hell with Slenderman’s rules.’ Jack practically screamed at Jeff, leaning over your unconscious body.  
  
And then, the most dreadful of things happened.  
  
Your heart stopped.  
  
Inside the total madness of sounds that filled the room, the single one that was of most importance went still. It was as if the whole world went silent or even lost its ability to produce any sound, since the most divine one had seized, along with your breathing. Immediately, both all the machines surrounding you as well as Jack himself went berserk. No vital signs were shown to anything and the man started screaming loudly, ripping his mask off and placing his hands over your chest, started trying to revive you. Tears of black, hot goo trailed down his face and his screams became nothing more than incoherent mumbles as he tried to make your heart start once again. Jeff pulled the resuscitation device and turning it on, he pushed it towards Jack, who immediately left you and took it on his hands.  
  
‘TEAR HER SHIRT APART!’ the eyeless man ordered the other one and Jeff immediately obeyed, grabbing the edges of your shirt and tore it in half, revealing your bruised body and bra to them.  
  
‘CLEAR!’ Jack screamed and placing the metallic devises on you, he allowed the sharp wave of electricity pierce you through.  
  
Your body shook.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Flat line.  
  
‘CLEAR!!’ Jack screamed again and shocked you once again.  
  
Nothing.  
  
‘CLEAR!’  
  
No sound.  
  
‘AGAIN!’  
  
Nothing.  
  
‘AGAIN! COME ON BABE!’  
  
No vital signs.  
  
‘COME THE F*CK ON!’  
  
‘DUDE, SHE IS GONE!’ Jeff screamed, watching his best friend’s desperate attempts to reanimate a long gone girl. It was truly a tragedy and brought grief even to the deranged smiling man. Such pitty..  
  
‘NO! AGAIN!’  
  
‘COME ON JACK, PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!’  
  
‘NO! F*CK YOU JEFF, SHE IS NOT LEAVING ME, SHE IS NOT DEAD!’ the eyeless man screamed stubbornly.  
  
Another shock.  
  
‘I LOVE YOU BABY, DON’T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!’ he pleaded.  
  
Another shock.  
  
Your body arced but no sign came on the monitors.  
  
‘I LOVE YOU ______!’  
  
Another round of shock.  
  
‘JAC-‘  
  
 _Beep……Beep……Beep….Beep…._  
  
There was no glorious sound, than the sound of your heart starting to beat once again. It tore the already broken Jack in half and made him kneel on the cold paved floor of the lab, surrendering to the grief and fatigue of reviving you literally from the dead; you were not going to be alright, but at least he had a steady sign that you were still somewhere in there, that you were holding on to him. Or where you? Where you still in there? And if yes, for how long? Will you _ever_ come back to him? Will he be able to live without you? Of course he wouldn’t.  
  
How can anyone live without the light? How can anyone live with the sole purpose of his existence being gone from this world? Because if you died, it would be this very thing for Jack and he realized that he knew it all along; you were the only thing that gave him life and losing you would mean certain death. As the man finally crumbled to the ground, his hands flying to cover his face and his screams of utter desperation finally erupting from his chest, sounding like the cries of a wounded demon, the images of none other than yourself flashed right inside his mind, tearing what was left of his heart into millions of little pieces; you were smiling at him as the both of you played on the kindergarten yard. You were holding his hand as you walked on the streets, eating ice-cream and talking away. You were a crying mess inside his protective hands, various bruises covering your body and you barely being eight years old. You were fighting for the last cookie in the jar. You were kissing under the torrential rain as he was leaving once again for the university, totally oblivious that he was never going to come back as a human. You were embracing once another for the very first time. He was defending you against your stepdad. He was climbing the tree that reached your bedroom window and hopped inside. He was abducting you from inside your room in the college campus. He was torturing you. You were singing. You were laughing. You were kissing once again. You were with him once again.  
  
And now he was losing you. All over again.  
  
But this time, it was for good.  
  
Death would be the only thing both of you would be unable to overcome.  
  
And it tore Jack in half.  
  
As the realization of him losing his soulmate dawned inside the monstrous man’s head, a few words popped inside his mind:  
  
… _Only because you loved me I was born,_ _so my life was given._ _In graceless unfulfilled life_ _,_ _so my life was fulfilled._ _Only because you loved me I was born…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem at the end is from Maria Polydouri 'Only Because You Loved Me'.


	33. Chapter 33 ‘Adonis, What A Tragic Life You Lead’

_**The whole world can become the enemy when you lose what you love.**   
**—Kristina McMorris**   
  
  
_

_  
_

  
Jack had finally stopped crying.  
  
At what point the man had finally seized to cry, he knew not. All that he knew was that the violent sobs generating from deep within his soulless chest had finally come to a stop, even if the coal black, tar-like tears continued to cascade his face, dripping down to your broken form. Every once in a while, he would make sure to wipe you off from them, in fear that the hot liquid would only help to deteriorate your comatose state. Other than that, the broken man was literally drained from all energy and will to live, his inner demon finally withdrawing inside the emptiness of his mind once and for all, leaving him an empty shell to live his very last days. Now that we mentioned it though, what day is it? Surely Jack had lost all count after the passing of two weeks and his last outburst had left him sitting on the cold, merciless floor, cradling what was left of yourself tightly inside his hands; the various machines were still connected with you, but your ever-so-faint heartbeat was in need of a cardiographer in order to be heard. And the machines were actually what were left from the whole room.  
  
Because Jack had destroyed them all.  
  
Every cabinet, every surface, every fridge, every medical tool or medicine the eyeless man might have been storing, went all to waste when the tidal wave of anger hit him like two planets colliding with one another. The maniacal paroxysm mixed with the pain your loss was causing him turned the man utterly monstrous and the room surrounding him payed the dear price; even inside the madness, with her claws turning his mind to nothing but muss, he knew that there was no possible way to lay a finger on you or even leave you alone to take his anger out to those who contributed to bring you on this state of living death. Like two magnets, the man refused to leave your side even for a single second, so the only way to express himself was through the room. It took him two days to tear the whole place apart and after he was done, he simply raised you on his hands, sat down on the floor and begun to cry. Cry for you, cry for himself, cry for every little sh!t that happened in your short lives; from your heart condition to his sacrifice and alteration to a demon. And now here you were his most prized possession which he loved in his previous life and in the nowadays one, slowly dying away right in front of his empty stare. There was nothing he could do to save you.  
  
All he could do, was patiently wait until the claws of Death finally take you with them. Even as he was holding you, it felt like he was holding on to nothing but a ragged doll or a huge bag of shattered bones coming together with nothing but flesh; a corpse which held the most striking resemblance to the woman he loved. Your spine was broken, your legs were broken, your chest, your hands and even your head was practically being held together by the bandages Jack had wrapped them with. The only thing that remained strong –even if it was in reality the weakest- was your heavily injured heart beating faintly inside your mussed chest. Jack made sure to supply you with both his blood and human blood and IV, all at the same time holding your neck extremely carefully in order for it not to break –something that would mean immediate death- and simply waited for you, listening to the beeping sound coming from the machines. But for what? The man just couldn’t help but think for what were all this about? Even if you somehow miraculously woke up, you would never again be able to do even the slightest of movements, remaining bedridden for the rest of your days, needing Jack to care for everything. Not that the man cared in the least; all he wanted was to have you with him alive, but this would only torment your weary soul even more.  
  
The noblest thing the monster could do was kill you.  
  
Just let your head fall backwards or even snap it with his own two hands, releasing you from your misery and setting you free.  
  
He had killed countless humans before, for an even lesser reason, so why couldn’t he do it now?  
  
It was mercy.  
  
It was truly and utterly a merciful act that could even save the remaining part of his soul, if there was still any trace of it inside of him.  
  
But he couldn’t do it.  
  
Everything came down to these simple words: he could not kill ______. He had done monstrous things agreed, but he just couldn’t find the strength inside of him to kill you and end your misery once and for all. Maybe this was the reason he was crying all along; denying you the salvation of Death, he just prolonged both yours and his suffering because of one simple, selfish act. And boy was he selfish. Secretly, the man was catching himself hoping and sincerely wishing that this was all a dream; that all of this was a lie and that he was about to wake up back in his bedroom in his parents’ house, with you waving at him from across the side yard, yelling at him to wake up already or suggest to go out for a (favorite dessert) that you loved. He would see your happy face; he would cherish the sound of your laughter and then proceed with spoiling you all over again. Leaving this atrocious nightmare behind. Because he loved you. He loved you like certain things are meant to be loved: unconditionally and utterly, bringing his being one step away from the ache. His love for you was so grand that it pained him to insanity, something that was fuelled even more from the fact that you were going to die.  
  
‘Jack.’ A stern, gruff voice spoke up at that moment, yet the man did nothing to acknowledge the new presence that entered the room, taking a small, calculated step towards the demon-like man who sat on the floor.  
  
‘The doll is still alive huh? Tough nut to crack.’ Jeff murmured, more to himself that to Jack.  
  
The lidless and forever smiling man had made his daily duty to check upon his friend and you, making sure that none of you had died yet; Jeff knew that it was only a matter of time for you to die and the sight of his best friend falling completely apart and surrendering to his demons to eat him alive from the inside out was something Jeff categorized as one of the most hideous things he had ever witnessed. And he had witnessed a lot of f*cked up things in his immortal life, yet this seemed to take the cake. Jack had turned into a living corpse while all at the same time holding on to one for dear life.  
  
‘For your f*cking info, the others aren’t coming at all. Slendy-f*ck was furious that they came after you despite his orders.’ Jeff folded his hands over his chest and spared a quick gaze around the demolished room.  
  
Jack had heard the man loud and clear, yet the will to respond or even feel the slightest of feelings other than numbness was something absent from within the man. He knew that there must have been a serious reason behind the fact that the others hadn’t come over to finish what they started in the first place. In the condition Jack was right now, he would probably die in the very first confrontation, no matter how much strength he would place in protecting you, dying a little sooner than you. He would die first and once they reached you, you would meet him in the Other Realm where the both of you would finally be able to be happy. His logical mind made him hope that if there was really an Afterlife, places like Heaven and Hell mustn’t exist, and in reality, there is a never-ending forest waiting for anyone that passed, to reside peacefully there until the chance to reincarnate appears. And even if that didn’t stand, he sincerely and utterly hoped that there would be a place where you and him would reunite once again and finally be able to spend the rest of eternity alongside one another, content and safe, away from all the nightmares that made your lives a living hell. So Jack hated Slender at this final moment. He hated him for keeping the others from coming for you and killing you, prolonging the suffering for both of your beings. Maybe Death was truly the only salvation.  
  
Maybe Death was the only thing worth longing for.  
  
‘Jeff.’  
  
The forever-smiling man paused midway from walking out of the room, what was left of his mind taken aback from the sudden sound that belonged to none other than Jack. The man hadn’t spoken in days and it was truly a surprising thing that made Jeff turn and look at the eyeless man utterly surprised.  
  
‘Do you happen to remember all the times that I helped you out of lethal situations? Do you happen to recall the favors you owe me?’ Jack spoke up, his voice empty and emotionless, while his head never moved and his eyeless stare never strayed from your sleeping form.  
  
Jeff clenched his jaw and straightened his posture ‘Yes, you f*cker, I do.’  
  
‘It is time to repay me.’ Jack murmured.  
  
‘How?’  
  
There was a long pause, inside of which Jack took a noisy breath before he decided to speak.  
  
‘When _____ dies, I want you to kill me as well. It will not take long and I only trust you to do that.’  
  
Even if Jeff expected something like that to happen, he was surely taken aback nonetheless ‘I will you f*cker. But what if she wakes up?’  
  
Jack chuckled darkly, a sound that was as unsound as it was chilling ‘She will not and you know that very well.’ He commented ‘You really like to see me suffer, don’t you?’  
  
‘The f*ck you said?’ Jeff growled.  
  
‘I was not talking to you Jeff.’ Jack raised his head for the first time in what seemed to be ages ‘I was talking to Slenderman.’  
  
Jeff never really had the time to be surprised by this revelation when he felt the presence of the Head of the House coming towards him, so turning his head to look at the messed up living room, he surely immediately spotted the tall creature making its way through the rumble and broken furniture before carefully walking inside the demolished laboratory. It was utterly surprising that Jack, as dazed and long gone as he was, managed to pinpoint Slender far before Jeff did. Now that the Tall Man stood inside the room with his lean figure easily reaching the ceiling and in fact leaning towards the front in order to fit properly, the eyeless man returned his gaze to the comatose girl he was cradling. Slenderman appeared even more threatening and tall inside the close spaces of the room and as his empty face wandered around and to every broken surface that surrounded them, the sound of static was nowhere to be heard and instead, a sad aura was emitted from the Master. Even if he hated humans with a strong passion, it was not easy to watch as one of his own Children perished along with one, being eaten alive by the sheer sadness he was experiencing.  
  
Slender did believe that Jack was one of the strongest among the Killers –maybe and equal match for Jeff-, but the sobbing and broken down mess he was seeing right in front of him was surely a shadow of his past self. The Creature never failed to notice the dying girl along with the various tubes connecting with her and Jack knew all too well that Slender was not so happy about that.  
  
‘She is dying already Slenderman. There is no need to come and check on us…’ the eyeless man murmured, making sure that your head was resting against his chest, closely enough to him so he was able to hear your ever-so-soft breaths. You looked so serene as you slept…  
  
_I would like to personally apologize for the rest of the residents’ actions against you and your human Eyeless Jack. They went against my orders and they are currently paying for their reckless actions as we speak._  
  
The Tall Man transmitted his words straight into the killer’s mind, his thoughts authoritative and stern- just like Jack remembered it.  
  
Jack laughed dryly ‘Really? Has your authority on them already begun to falter Slender? If they break your rules for such a small thing, what will they do when the need to choose sides comes?’  
  
Jack’s words ring around the room as if the man spat them straight into the faceless-man’s face, yet Slender does not seem to lose his composure in the least and the tendrils remain waving calmly behind him.  
  
_I can assure you, they will pay dearly._  
  
‘What good will that make? YOU CANNOT SEE THE DAMAGE THEY ALREADY CAUSED? CAN’T YOU SEE WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO _______?! WHERE IS YOUR AUTHORITY? WHERE IS YOUR WORD? DID THE MASTER OF THE SLENDER WOODS FINALLY LOST HIS POWER? HAVE YOU BECOME WEAK? WHY I SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE ONE TO OBEY THE RULES AND BE F*CKED OVER WHILE YOU LET THE OTHERS ROAM FREE?! WHY. SHOULD. I. LISTEN. TO. YOU?!’ Jack screamed at Slender, his face being raised to meet with the faceless man and his voice sounding dual as the monster that resided inside his head wakes up and snarls against Slender, making the black tears acid poisonous and the monstrous man’s tongue to be divided into five parts, seeking to eat away any organ that was left within the two men standing right in front of him.  
  
Jack was finally beginning to lose his grip against the monster and Slender knew how dear the situation was; one wrong move and the man would be completely devoured by darkness and Slender knew what that meant and what could happen. The Rake was the living proof about that and Slender was not willing to lose another one of his possessions to that.  
  
 _I am here to offer you a solution; I know very well why you cannot seem to find a matching heart for the girl._  
  
Jack scoffs ‘And why do you think that happens?’  
  
 _Because, as you too can see, you have made the lethal mistake of infecting her with your own, immortal blood. Though it might have strengthened her failing heart, rendering her stronger against heart attacks, it has changed her whole DNA, making it impossible to find an exact match. There is no human heart that can replace the one she has right now._  
  
‘So because of that simple act, I cannot give her a heart to bring her back?’ Jack felt the tar-like tears streaming down his face once again. What had he done to you? He was the one to blame for making you unable to receive a heart and he only now realized the mistake he did, wishing inside his mind for death to punish him mercilessly.  
  
What had he done to his beautiful ______?!  
  
_It might be already too late for her to be saved. Nevertheless, there is one last thing you can do if you wish to try everything possible for her salvation._  
  
Jack turned his head towards the Tall Man, his empty stare barely seeing him and his mind already shutting down once and for all.  
  
‘What? Stop playing games with me Slender and tell me already!’ he demanded.  
  
Slender straightened his back.  
  
_It is true that human hearts cannot save her anymore. Yet, there is one last heart that will probably be an exact match if there is still time; a heart that the user is in no need for in order to survive._  
  
Slender looked at Jack straight where his eyes used to be.  
  
_It is your own heart Eyeless Jack. The cruelest of hearts might be the only thing that will save her. If you are willing to try._  
  
The whole world was immediately lost all around Jack.  
  
As if someone set his mind ablaze and the vivid fires started burning everything in their path, fuelling his brain for the first time since what appeared to be forever, there was only one thought that remained and burned with fiery letters inside his mind:  
  
Save ______.  
  
Suddenly, there was not a single soul on this planet, other than you and him. Other than this room, the medical supplies that had escaped his broken outburst and the only means for your salvation that lied right where Jack never even looked at: his very own chest. It was somewhat poetic for the only matching heart for you to be right in front of him and especially be the one heart that had loved you back when she beat and now that she didn’t. Yet Jack would not stop at anything to offer it to you.  
  
With fast movements, the man lies you down on the medical bed, rushing to get all the necessary items he would need to operate the heart transplant, jumping over anything that was broken and pulling various machines next to you, drawing his favorite scalpel and leaning over you. For the first time in what appeared to be centuries, Jack’s chest and mind completely surrendered to feelings that were described with words long ago forgotten by the monstrous man: happiness, love, excitement and above all hope. Hope that there was still just a small fragment of a chance to save you, to bring you back to the eyeless man who was as desperate for you to wake up as he was to be loved by you. To be able to face the girl he had loved long ago and watch the glimmering fire return to her eyes; hear her heavenly voice once again; embrace her for the rest of eternity. And boy what would Jack give up in order to do so. He raised his scalpel and brought it swiftly down to your chest. Piercing through your bruised skin and opening you up was not as a difficult task as it should have been, since your already broken ribs gave him easier access to what he wanted, yet when his eyeless stare fell on that single beating organ which kept your soul trapped inside your body still, denying it from the ever-lasting paradise, the man found himself gazing upon it in total awe.  
  
There it was the single organ that had started it all. What was always able to look past the horrors thrust upon the fragile human, the one that was able to generate a love which far surpassed the boundaries of Life and Death itself, seeing what the eyes were always unable of seeing. The one that endured pain, loss, torture, anger, hurt and stubbornly decided to keep living. The heart which loved more than any other heart, forgave more than anyone else and accepted things for what they were, embracing them for all eternity. The one which altered destinies and changed worlds and turned horrifying demons into lambs. The only heart that was able to tame the untamable beast and love it till its very last beat. How could Jack not stand in awe as he came upon it? And how would he be able to stand hearing it take its very last beat? Because as he stood there for a second, as he just gazed over it, the beating sound filled his ears; how could he leave such prized possession behind?  
  
How could leave your lovely heart behind?  
  
And then, he brought his scalpel over his own un-beating heart.  
  
  
  
  
Hours passed by. The two men and the two girls, Sally and Halloween, patiently waited for the eyeless man to come out of the house and deliver them the news about your condition, waiting among the falling snow and into the breathtaking scenery of the white forest. The sun had dawned long ago and now it had started to plunge towards the west once again, when a faint movement came from within the broken down house. Jack walked through the broken living room, his chest bare and with black blood still dripping down from his wounds yet the eyeless man payed them no mind as he carried you in his arms, the very same wound decorating your own chest, which was covered messily with bandages, sealing away what must not be seen. Everyone held their breaths and focused on the man who appeared worn out and once he set a foot on the soft snow, kneeled down, never letting go of your form.  
  
There was a chilling silence were nothing was heard.  
  
Everything stood still.  
  
Motionless.  
  
Silent.  
  
Right at that point, Jack screamed.  
  
And then…..


	34. Chapter 34 Persephone And Adonis

**_‘You survived; I survived. We’re together again. I once begged the gods to let me see you – if only for a moment. To see you and know you’d made it. Just once; that was all I ever hoped for.’_ **   
**_-Sarah J. Maas, Queen of Shadows_ **

The storm emanated with undiminished hatred outside the walls of St. Dymphna Mental Institute.

Rather oddly for the very last days of March, dark and threatening clouds were fast to cover the vast skies, only accompanied by the monstrous rain and thunder which had yet to seize in three days straight. One would surely think it wasn’t spring yet by the looks of the almost black sky, as well as the piercing cold that had forced the civilians of Norfolk to dig out their winter coats from their closets in a desperate attempt to keep the cold away from their shivering forms. But what could they do?

Even inside the Institute, the sound of rain whipping the cold windows and the thunders which echoed more frequently than they should, making the wooden floor under the nurses’ feet shake terrifyingly, only served to unnerve even the bravest of souls. All in all, mental institutions always kept a strong hold over a feeling of dread and fear the moment any regular person passed its walls; it was as if you could sense the madness brushing against your skin like miasma and hear the faint sound of screams coming from the deranged and paranoid patients who called the institutes their home, even if there was no one screaming in reality. That, along with the fact that it was just five minutes before midnight would make any normal person run for their lives and as far away from the cursed building as they could.

Yet the three nurses that were on duty tonight where nothing even remotely close to terrified.

It did not matter that the vast corridors were empty, quiet and submerged into darkness, only to be illuminated by the street lamps or the lightning that touched the solid ground somewhere far in the horizon. The silence that prevailed was calming, with just a small pinch of worry looming around; it wasn’t the kind of worry an escaped patient caused, but rather the worry brought upon them by the constant noise that erupted and reverberated from outside which could easily mean the uneasiness of the for-now-calm patients. All of them were long ago locked inside their rooms, some of them taking the medication needed in order to fall asleep while the rest of them just tried to get wrapped in Morpheus’s hands on their complete own. Nothing other than the thunder was heard since the three nurses did their absolute best to walk as silently as they could. If everything went as planned, then the night would pass without a single disturbance.

_Thump….Thamp…..Thump….Thamp_

A nurse was walking through the dark corridor. She wore the pink nurse uniform with the characteristic trademark of the Institute lying over the left side of her chest, paired with the usual flat ballerina shoes on the very same color. For her, the uniform was just a little bit too tight around her hips and chest for what would be considered comfortable, yet she was paying it no mind at all, since it didn’t restrict her movements in the least. Her eyes had long ago adjusted to the relative darkness, so the girl was now able to venture through the corridors with no problem and make her rounds across the grounds at peace and without the threat of stumbling upon a random plant that rested on its pot along the way. The ever-so-soft steps she took were muffled by the luxurious carpet that spread under her two feet but silence was not her number one priority, if you considered the fact that she was whistling to a random tune lightly, while the huge key-ring that overflowed with the room keys was mindlessly twisting inside her palm. She didn’t mind the noise, knowing that most of the patients wouldn’t even hear her, so she walked along the hallway, only stopping in front of each door to make sure it would be locked.

And of course they were. It was she who locked them up in the first place, but checking a second time wouldn’t hurt anybody right? In any case, once her task was over and everything was perfect, she kept walking towards the end of the hallway, where the faint light of a crystal chandelier illuminated the room on the very end of it. It was about time for all the nurses to call it a night and pass the remaining hours in the reception room so truly enough, another nurse made her appearance from just around the corner.

Once the red-headed girl saw the first nurse, a sweet smile spread across her beautiful characteristics and her green eyes shone in the dim light ‘I think we are alright for tonight. Let’s rest.’ Eva rested her hands on her waist ‘Let’s hope it won’t be a long night like yesterday,’ she chimed before turning on her heel and walking inside the half-lit room with the other nurse hot on her tracks.

The circular room was by far warmer than the rest of the Institute, partly because of the heater resting on the opposite side of the room, emitting its sweet warmth and causing anyone that stood too close to be overwhelmed by a strong wave of tiredness. Thus, all nurses seemed to avoid it at all costs. The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling sure did lighten up the peach colored room but even that wasn’t enough to chase away all shadows. The area behind the reception desk kept being overwhelmed by darkness, with the only exception being the lady sitting on the only chair behind it, resting back lazily. Her dyed blonde hair appeared more languid than usual and her old-fashioned glasses were ready to slip off her droopy brown eyes.

‘Maggie, we are done! Do you want to go out for a drink?’ Eva laughed merrily while the secretary nurse, Maggie just rolled her eyes.

‘I seriously wonder where you find the energy to smile like that at twelve o’ clock in the night Eva.’ Maggie rested her head on her hand, her monotonous voice sounding across the room.

‘Oh come on! How else are we supposed to pass the night?’ Eva complained, folding her hands over her chest disapprovingly. She knew Maggie; there was no way in absolute hell to move her out of her chair at night. Maybe if God appeared right in front of her there was a _slight_ possibility of her moving an inch.

‘With a wild round of sleep most probably. Don’t you agree squirt?’ Maggie addressed the first nurse who only nodded as she was looking through her pockets for a handkerchief.

Eva sighed in defeat ‘At least we won’t have any troubles tonight.’

The moment these words leave the red-headed girl’s lips, reverberating inside the suddenly silent room, she fails to see the shadows right behind Maggie move to the slightest; it was like something moved suddenly and out of complete nowhere, but there was no way in hell for any intruders to be inside; firstly, who would break into a mental institute –most try to break _out_ of it- and all the doors were locked. So the red-headed and kind nurse simply pushes the movement away from her notice as a simple trick her tired mind decided to play at this late hour.

If only she knew.

The two nurses standing in the middle of the room barely have time to understand what is going on when hell is unleashed right in front of their eyes.

There is a blue flash and a navy blue mask appears out of literally nowhere inside the darkness, before two hands come into view, one grabbing Maggie from the hair, making the poor nurse lean her head back as she lets out a piercing scream of terror, while the other hand is raised in the air. The lady struggles and screams out for the two dumbfounded nurses, right as a lightning bathes the room in a clear white light, and something silver shines across her neck. The nurses can’t help but stare, rooted on their spots by the sheer terror that pins them there, making them unable to scream or run for their lives. They only stare as Maggie’s desperate eyes search for them, the very same time that her neck is slashed open. Blood is ejected everywhere like a red fountain, staining the reception, the floor and the carpet, along with the few papers that were resting on the desk. Maggie’s eyes roll inside her skull and the hand releases her; she falls on the desk motionlessly, remaining completely still.

It was only then that Eva let out a bloodcurdling scream.

The green-eyed girl screams as loud as she can, terror shooting through her like a bullet as her mind tried to process the terrifying event she just witnessed. Thus, it fails to detect the danger lurking behind her. Before she has the chance to realize what is going on, a hand grabs her hard in a lethal embrace and someone covers her nose and mouth with a cloth that reeks of medicine. Unable to stop herself, she inhales it so deeply, that the effects are immediately triggered; her brain starts to shut down and her vision fails her, until she completely passes out, her unconscious body falling limply on the floor and staying there, right in front of the third nurse’s feet.

The white cloth falls beside her.

‘Remind me why we should not kill her.’ A male voice sounds from across the room and a blue masked male emerged from the shadows, his figure able to easily fuse into one with it.

‘We won’t kill Eva, Jack. She’s the kindest in here and she always gave me chocolates during the breaks.’ You roll your eyes, stepping around the girl and walking over to the auburn haired male who only chuckles, passing his hands around your waist.

‘Your sweet-tooth spares lives now?’ he comments slyly, allowing you to raise his mask just enough to reveal his mouth before wrapping your hands behind his neck ‘What am I going to do with you?’

‘Mmmm’ you pretend to give it a thought ‘How about kissing me, you brute?’

Jack laughs once again, a sound that comes from deep within his sturdy chest, reaching your ears as your most favorite sound in the whole wide world, before your hot lips connect with Jack’s cold own. Immediately, your mouth half opens and the male takes full advantage of the opening to allow his tongue to explore every crevice of your mouth, hungrily exploring every little inch as if it was the very first time he was kissing you. In response, you only sigh and deepen the kiss, leaning completely against him and allowing your mind to be carried away by his dazzling taste of chocolate, pepper and blood that clouded your senses to a point where you forgot where you were; it only made you crave more from the man, ignoring the fact that this wasn’t the place for them. Still, the tight and desperate grip of Jack’s hands that rests on your petite waist only serves to help your consciousness be devoured by his existence. It was only you and him; it was only the two of you kissing away the night and declaring your love for each other through this little action that was louder than any declaration.

Time was lost from all around you, until you are forced to break apart in order to breathe.

‘Which room?’ Jack breathlessly whispers, having his hands still wrapped around you.

‘She’s in 696.’ You whisper, tugging your hand in his and with a playful smile, you turn and lead the way towards the dark corridor, paying no mind either to the passed out girl or the killed lady.

Instead, you walk through the dark corridors, with Jack following you obediently. It had been almost two weeks since you purposely got a job inside the Institute, trying to work your way to the night shift in order to set Jack’s plan in action. Thankfully for you –and no matter how much Jack whined about it- Eva was the only one to truly welcome you and help you achieve your goal, with the girl being completely oblivious as to who you really were and what you were doing in there; so from one point of view, you owed the success of your plan to the girl, something that prevented you from allowing Jack to kill her. So now, you were walking towards the room with the number 696 with steady steps and feeling the adrenaline coursing through you like hot lava. Reaching the characteristic white door, you fish the keys out of your pocket and nodding to Jack to wait for a little bit, you unlock the door and enter the room.

The small room existing behind the white door was relatively just like how you remembered it; it had been only seven months since you had first came here after all and all these days that you were here, you were purposely avoiding coming inside, in case you were recognized. Still, with the small room being rather bereft, the small plant which was once positioned on the dresser was the only thing missing while the bed and the wooden rocking chair were both exactly where you remembered them. At first, you expected to find Jenny sleeping peacefully on the bed, tangled inside the deep sleep offered by the heavy meditation, but to your complete surprise, you find the monstrous girl who started this entire hellish nightmare sitting on the rocking chair and rocking herself back and forth.

In the few months that followed your visit, the months who served to change your once mildly ordinary life forever and from the core, bringing it down to hell, the girl had changed drastically.

If it was even humanely possible, she was way thinner than ever before, her eyes and cheeks drawn back in a desperate attempt to return inside her skull once and for all, being the complete opposite from her cheekbones, which appeared to be popping out. The once beautiful girl was now nothing more than a living skeleton, ready to snap in half in the faintest of moves. Her clothes appeared like rugs on her severely slimmed down figure, while her hair was missing quite a few locks; her brown curls that once looked majestic, were now falling off in a fast rate. The only thing that remained the same on her was her completely emotionless grey eyes, which stared into nothingness once again.

You remembered the first impression she gave you back when you first met her like you were reliving the past exactly where you were standing, at the threshold of her room; but right now, now that you knew all too well the whole, terrifyingly monstrous truth about who this girl really was and what she had done to your most beloved person, you couldn’t help yourself but feel a mixture of pure hatred and disgust in her mere sight that burned your insides and made you want to hurl. Your fists clenched into balls. If it was up to you, you would have killed the girl who destroyed two lives in the most torturous way possible; she had destroyed both Jack’s and your life. She tore you apart; tortured poor Jack, turned him into a monster and committed unspeakable horrors towards him. You wanted her dead, even if it was the last thing you would ever do.

Only that revenge wasn’t yours to serve.

Hearing the door opening, the catatonic girl perks her head up slightly, her mouth falling open for a few moments before she truly manages to form any coherent sentence.

‘E-eva…is that…you?’ she whispers.

In response, you chuckle darkly ‘I am sorry Jenny, Eva is a bit occupied. But I am here! You remember? ______, your best friend from college!’

She doesn’t respond.

‘You remember me?’ you tilt your head to the side, observing the girl as she struggled with her blurry mind. If it was seven months back, you would have felt genuinely sorry for her, but right now you were mercilessly cold towards her as you smile.

Jenny perks her lips up a bit, in a desperate attempt to smile, which only fails halfway ‘I remember….you.’ she smiles.

You doubted it.

‘I brought a friend along for you Jenny! He wanted so much to see you! It’s Jack!’ you take a step to the side as the girl looks up in clear confusion.

‘…J-jack?....’ she murmurs, trying to understand what was going on.

‘Yeah!’ you cheer up ‘Jack Nichols.’

Jack chooses this very moment to take a step right next to you, entering Jenny’s vision as well. His dark and ominous aura was emanating from every fiber of his dark existence, eating and filling the whole space around him like a dark shadow, managing to sent a violent shiver down your spine; this was not the kind and caring Jack you had grown to adore, but the hellish, blood-thirsty Eyeless Jack, the demon killer who preyed on the organs of humans. You should be afraid of this side of him –and truthfully, you were some time back- but right now you enjoyed this side of him as much as you did the other one. He was nothing but an unhinged beast which came out of the darkest abyss. Yet the beast was tamed only on your command; you could tame the demon completely and bring him to his knees right before you.

The moment Jenny’s empty eyes fall on the advancing figure of Jack, recognition is ignited inside her crazy mind, flashing as a powerful emotion through her eyes before altering into pure horror. She screamed, starting to hit her head with her hands, but never averted her eyes from Jack, who only calmly proceeded to take his beloved scalpel out. You knew this calm all too well; it was the calm before the hellish storm. And by Jenny’s deranged scream, it appeared that she knew it too.

You inhale deeply and smile deviously to the deranged and screaming girl from behind Jack’s back.

‘Praise Chernobog. All hail Chernobog, our one true dark master, who will release us to everlasting paradise. Rise Chernobog; claim you body. You, the one who will release us from this hell. Find your sacrifice to do your biding.’

All that can be heard is Jenny’s desperate screams for salvation.

**~ * ~**

Finally, the storm had seized for tonight. As if by a true miracle, the torrential rain had finally stopped, leaving the empty streets of Norfolk damp and filled with puddles along the way. The cold wind continued to course through the buildings, forcing you to tighten the coat Jack gave you protectively around you, as you waited for Jack right beside the Institute door. Your breath was coming out as a small white cloud and your watchful eyes kept fixating on the roads that surrounded you, making sure there were no prying eyes or random witnesses looming around as Jack was finishing things up with Jenny.  
  
As you did stand there though, you allowed your mind to wander as it pleased. After all the things which happened in the past half year, you would honestly believe yourself to be mad in the rare case in which you would imagine them. But let’s get things from the start.

The last thing you remembered before your mind was enveloped by darkness was Jack’s blue mask appearing out of nowhere, before the man catapulted himself inside the small meadow, screaming out for you and you saying that you truly and utterly loved him before the demon hit you mercilessly and everything disappeared from around you.

In what appeared to be only a single second, only an ever so faint heartbeat, piercing cold surrounded you and you found yourself in a strangely eerie place. When you looked on your right, you could clearly see an amazing lake, with its crystal clear waters shining under the strong sunlight cascading from the spotless and majestic sky, illuminating the grounds beyond the lake. It was a mesmerizing forest. The beautiful plane trees must be reaching at least twenty feet from the ground, shedding their huge shadows to all the flora and fauna that resided under them; from where you were standing, you could clearly see bushes filled with wine red berries, roses of all kinds, lavender, daises, lilacs and every flower that was on existence, while various animals ran up and down. It was idyllic. Peaceful and serene. It was drawing you to cross the small marble bridge and run towards it, just to feel the green grass under your bare feet, just to be able and take in its peacefulness and finally allow yourself to let go. Let go of the pain, the sorrow, the struggle and all those little things that took happiness away from your life. Because if you managed to get across to that forest, you knew you would be happy once again. All in all, why not cross? There was nothing holding you back. Right?

From the left side though, you didn’t even dare look. Darkness prevailed everywhere you looked, while the vast ground that spread until the eye could see was bereft of any vegetation, with the dry ground cracking up and the few trees that still remained were all dried up. No life existed from that point and by simply gazing over it, it could fill your heart with dread and sheer fear.

And so, with those thoughts in mind you turned and stated walking towards the bridge. Grabbing the marble banister, you smiled at the cold feel it gave you before starting crossing it, with your head turning to every direction in order to take in the mesmerizing view. Just as you were in the middle of it, a certain someone appeared out of nowhere right beside you.

Your father.

He was just like you remembered him; his (e/c) eyes looked upon you with nothing but love as he gave you the very same smile he did back when you were just a small, innocent child. He didn’t look tired, he wasn’t sick anymore. And he was right beside you, taking your hand, he leads you towards the forest with your own self following him obediently and smiling with nothing but happiness. Until a scream pierced through the silence.

A scream all too familiar.

Jack.

You turned your head back.

And everything around you disappeared.

When you woke up, you were once again back at the small cabin, with Jack sitting by the bed, holding your fragile hand in his careful and bloodstained own.

As he explained to you, it had been one month since the incident with Zalgo. In all that time, you had been in a coma, too broken to come back and with your life hanging by a single thread. It was Jack’s darkest days in his whole existence, until the solution came from an unlikely source: Slenderman himself. And Jack did the unimaginable. For you. He offered you his heart. Literally. The eyeless man tore his heart right out of his chest an offered it to you, connecting you with the only transplant that could save your life. He offered you his and in return took your own and sew it in him. And it saved you. It took you three days to recover and wake up, with the black heart sewing you back together, mending your broken bones and bringing you back.

And it saved you.

Once you woke up, nothing was the same anymore. There would be no more heart attacks anymore; your new heart fixed that for you. And it did more. Now, you could see more clearly than before, you could hear a bit further than before and your stamina increased tremendously as you ran or did strenuous things; the same went for your strength as well. These were changes that couldn’t go unnoticed of course, so both you and Jack went to Slenderman. As he explained, you surely weren’t human anymore. You weren’t a Creep or a Proxy either. As he said, now that vital organs had been given to you by a Creepypasta, they had infected your human state and altered some of your characteristics. Like your senses or the fact your skin had acquired a more ash-grey tint than before. Or the fact that you were practically able to sense Jack’s presence from anywhere he was. That did not mean that you were one of them, but that you were bound to Jack; the man had to give you some of his blood every once in a while in order to keep you like that but if he didn’t, you would most certainly die, since your human state could not withhold the alteration. In other words, you were an Infected and as long as Jack was with you and gave you his blood, you would live as long as he would.

It came as a surprise to both you and Jack, but as long as you could continue being by his side, you were content. Still Slenderman insisted both of you to return back to the Mansion in order to keep an eye on you just in case; he had met some Infected in the past as well, but that didn’t exclude that he wanted to keep you under close observation. But you didn’t mind; you had restored Jack back in his original household and the guilt that you took him away from his kind would finally drop from your shoulders. In fact, you had befriended some of the other Creepypasta yourself. Sally and Jeff for example. Even Halloween seemed to accept your existence inside the house.

All was well.

And you would be a complete fool not to admit you liked your new senses.

Like that, you felt Jack coming your way long before you actually saw him.

The moment the eyeless man exited the building, the jar filled with Jenny’s heart already in his bag and on its way to decorate Jack’s trophy shelf, he wraps his hands around your petite waist.

‘We are ready for our next visit.’ He breathes out in your neck, before you turn and with a sly smirk wrap your hands around his neck, noticing that he had removed his mask, revealing the face you had loved since his human days.

‘Mission accomplished once again captain! You must agree I am one hell of a side-kick.’ You exclaim, planting a kiss on his lips ‘Who would have managed to infiltrate a Mental Institution in only two weeks and get you inside unnoticed?!’

‘Do you thing you can keep the uniform?’ he asks slyly, making you chuckle.

‘If you ask so nicely, I will.’ You say, before his lips crash into yours.

His lips opened and his tongue licked your bottom lip slowly, making you half open your mouth and immediately, his tongue accepted the granted entrance and invaded your mouth, filling you with his breathtaking taste. At first, the kiss was soft, sweet and loving, feeling the strong longing that was suppressed for too long starting to make its appearance, as he tilted his head and licked into your mouth painfully slowly. And then everything went up in flames. As if someone had turned off a switch, your hands flew behind his neck and got tangled inside his auburn colored hair, as your body moved out of its own free will and cupped against his, as his hands tightened around your waist and back, trapping you in the middle and grounding you on his loving embrace, with no possible way out. Not that you were going anywhere. He kissed you with everything he had, power, passion, longing, pain and pure love. He held nothing back, raising his desire to release your own as well, as the kiss turned almost violent, out of the hungriness you kept hidden for one another, forgetting all those terrible things that happened on your past and embracing the fact that you were still here; you were still able to have one another and on even better circumstances if it was even possible. His tongue was tangling with yours, his quick breaths mingling with your own. Your senses were able to only focus on him, forgetting everything else that might exist inside this damned world, filling you up with only his touch. Your mind was long ago spiraling out of control and you angled your head, seeking to deepen the kiss even more. You wanted him more than you could possibly imagine and you also knew, from the way he pinned you against the wall, giving no importance that anyone who was still up at this late hour could still see you if he peeked through his windows, that he wanted you desperately as well. Lust shot through you like a lightning, as his touch send shivers down your spine, but your brain decided that moment to remind you that there were still things needing to be done before you indulged in one another.

So with a heavy heart, you pull apart, desperately trying to catch your breath.

‘If you continue like that Jack, I can hardly see us completing tonight’s mission of ours.’ You breathe out, playfully teasing the eyeless male who only laughs as he backs away and takes a step to the side.

‘Let’s hurry things up then, so I can have you all to myself.’ He replies with a sly smirk, before taking a black marker out of his pocket and taking a step closer to the wall.

‘Hate to break it to you, but I’m planning on playing with Sally once we get back.’ You inform him cockily, just to see how he would react.

‘Oh, I don’t think so.’ He smiles deviously ‘Sally and Halloween are baking cookies tonight and I would hate to have you under quarantine to keep you from being killed by Halloween if you interrupt them. It’s a sacred hour that even Slenderman can’t interrupt.’

You watch as Jack draws the Operator symbol on the wall, folding your hands over your chest.

‘Then what am I supposed to do?’ you pout.

‘I have some things in mind that will keep my side-kick occupied.’ Jack smirks deviously and winks at you, before offering his hand to you and once you give him yours, he pulls you in front of the huge mark as well.

‘Well, it’s not too hard to guess.’ You tease him as well, before focusing on the mark that begins to glow with an eerie white light ‘Are you sure I can pass it as well?’

‘Since you are no longer human, I think you will be okay. Just keep holding my hand and we will make it there in no time.’ He says and kissing you tenderly on the hair, the both of you proceed towards the mark.

For a single moment the white light envelopes you both, blinding you in the process before disappearing completely, leaving you to stand almost blind in the darkness. Jack beside you waited patiently for your eyesight to recover, hugging you carefully and rubbing your back tenderly, planting soft kisses on the top of your head every once in a while. Even if you couldn’t see, you could already feel the change in the air, signaling that you were no longer in Norfolk; truly enough, instead of the piercing coldness of the storm, you were now greeted by the warm humidity of a place all too different from where you were before you stepped inside the symbol. Once you can see clearly again, your head perks up and your gaze wanders over the all-too-familiar street, the one both you and Jack grew up in.

You were once again back in your hometown and with your own house standing tall right behind you, all lights gone out and silence prevailing all around. Jack passes his sturdy hand on your waist in order to keep you as close to him as possible –remnants of the days he thought he almost lost you- and you keep staring at the house which caused all of your nightmares to come true. You felt disgusted by both it and the people currently residing inside.

‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ Jack whispers lightly in your ear, hugging you softly for dear life.

‘I am sure. There is no need for both my pathetic excuse of a mother and for Jake to pollute the air anymore.’ You reply, your voice stone cold.

‘Still, they are the ones who kept you company all these years. I am concerned you will regret knowing you have ended their lives. Even if your heart does not beat anymore, you are still your own merciful self ____. And it would haunt me to take that away from you.’ Jack plants a small kiss on your lips, resting his gloved hand on your cheek, before he gazes into your (e/c) orbs with his eyeless own.

In response to his words, you smile lovingly to him.

‘The only real person that helped me through the tough life Fate decided for me was you Jack. All those years before we became what we are now, when I was thinking back, I could only see you in my past, keeping me company and being the only person who loved me truly and the only one I truly loved. I do not care about anyone anymore; if I have you by my side then I am the happiest person in existence. And it was that force which pushed me to seek you all over again seven months before. For you, I would do all these all over again.’ You smile and kiss him once again.

‘I never thought I could have you beside me once again baby. We are picking things up from where we left them _____ and I will not allow anyone to break us apart anymore. I swear it on my dead soul, I will do my best to make you happy.’

You nod ‘No Jack; we are making a new start. A fresh, happy and filled with love start. Only you and me.’

He smiled, his beautiful face betraying his true happiness and his lips smile genuinely as he whispered ever-so-softly ‘I love you _____.’

‘And I love you Jack. Forever.’ You offer him the brightest and happiest of smiles, one filled with pure and undeniable love, reserved specially from God to offer it to people who have finally met their true soulmates.

You were once again together.

You had reunited with one another.

The future waiting ahead of you, was one filled with companionship and true love, were you would have each other until the end of all days.

Forever.  


**~ ~ * ~ ~**

_The next morning the News reported the two gruesome murders of a married couple that was tangled in shady businesses and had their daughter suddenly gone missing a few months back in the town of (your hometown) and it was the same morning that Greg found a small note shoved under his dorm room with only a few words inside:_

_We are together again. Everything is alright. ~ (y/n) & Jack_


	35. Extra Chapter: Our Days In The Sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the au extra chapter! :3 I sincerely hope it met your expectations; it is precisely what would have happened if Jack had never gone into the forest to check the fire out, only to meet with his demise. I have to admit, I almost wrote the extra chapter with Jack visiting _____'s grave with Destiny, but it would be a great injustice for both her and Jack. As a reader, I would hate an ending like that, so I chose not to go with it. Still, I hope you liked it and if you are interested to learn more about my OC Halloween, I'll be uploading her creepypasta/origin story shortly to check it out! Thank you for giving this story a chance, it really means the world to me!
> 
> As always, stay awesome and unique lovelies~~ <3 <3

It was a sunny, summer morning in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, USA.  


Until the farthest ends of where the eye could see, the tall buildings surrounding the almost empty streets where bathed in the rich golden light of the August sun. It was always like that in Atlanta; no people walking around the streets and instead occupying the nearest coffee shops for a refreshing drink, that would fight the suffocating heat back until night would grace the lands, bringing along with her the cold breeze of summer nights. You could almost breathe in the humidity lying around like a veil of water hidden in the air, but it was exactly what was needed for the rich flora to thrive and shine inside the hot summer days.

Like the greenest bouquet of lilies of the valley, in the hands of a four year old girl walking down the streets with the biggest smile on her little face. Her white dress was falling loosely around her small figure, reaching down to her knees and matching perfectly with the white shoes she was wearing. One of her hands held a tight grip around the bouquet and the other one was safely wrapped inside the hand of a blonde man walking right beside her. He was probably around 30 years of age, with a rich mane of blonde hair, matching whiskers gracing his jaw line and a muscular build that made him look intimidating. Yet, if you looked inside his soft brown eyes, you would find no malice or ill-will resting inside. On the contrary, only kindness and love shone behind them, as he smiled at the little girl who skidded down the road right beside him. They were the only ones defying the heat and walking casually, heading towards a destination that would otherwise be avoided.

‘Are we gonna see mommy? I miss ‘er so much.’ the little girl chirped, bringing the flowers to her nose and sniffing a bit.

‘I’m sure mommy misses you too Des.’ Greg smiles a sorrowful smile at the little girl who is oblivious to the man’s careful gaze as they walk.

‘I hope she likes the flowers! I pick’d dem up myself from the yard today.’

‘Really? Did Lucky help you out with it?’ Greg chuckles at the thought of the energetic dog of the family, running around the yard and always playing with Des.

They had found him on the street one rainy day of January, malnourished and freezing to death. Still, the vibrant German shepherd dog had its spark inside of it and came around playing with the small girl who immediately loved it. Needless to say, they could not go home without it or hell itself would break loose. Des and Lucky were inseparable from then onwards, with the dog guarding her with his everything if it came down to it. Gabby had made sure to provide him with the necessary vaccines and the two of them were left alone to play to their hearts’ content. They had not reached their limits even after so many months. Des was always a happy-go-lucky and kind child, so seeing her laugh, smile and play with her very first friend was a delight for the whole family.

Des literally beamed at the mention of her best friend with a tail ‘He did! He was the one to find th’m.’

‘I’m sure he did.’ Greg laughed and messed the girl’s hair tenderly ‘So how are things going with your new babysitter? Is she being mean to you in any way?’

Des’s big blue eyes filled with amusement as they turned to gaze at Greg ‘Of ‘ourse not! Mon-mon is the best ever!’ the little girl declared, folding her tiny hands over her chest ‘She’s so much fun and makes da best pizza.’

‘Do you scare her as you did with the last one?’ Greg smiled a devious smile, blowing a small kiss to the girl who in response, chuckles.

‘She’s not easy to scare. Yet.’ She shrugs ‘I placed toothpaste in her Oreo’s as aunt Sam taught me, but she didn’t leave.’

‘Maybe you can try replacing salt with sugar and get Monica place it in her coffee.’ Greg raises his eyebrows slyly.

‘I will! Thanks!’

‘And if she says anything to you, make sure to tell me okay?’

‘~Okay!’ Des chirps.

The duo took a sharp turn to the right and passing through a huge metal gate that arced over their heads, they moved towards the huge building resting in the middle of the entire block. Passing among the huge trees that surrounded the path, Greg had to listen to the constant rambling of the little girl, yet in no way was he bored by it. She was a delight and her happy aura was infectious. Both of them had been visiting this specific building for a month now and surely enough, it always left Greg with a chill going down his spine. Not that there was something to be afraid of, but thinking of all the things that happened in the last few months was enough to leave the man with a sense of worry in the back of his mind.

‘We’re almost there! Let’s hurry up!’ Des chirped and tugged on Greg’s hand, urging him to walk faster.

Greg frowned a bit ‘Des, keep your voice down will ya? We must be quiet around here.’

‘But I want to see mommy! Hurry up! I command you!’

Greg smiled apologetically to some girls passing by and looking at them, struggling to keep up with Des, as the kid was almost running in the corridor ‘Des, ya know, you are a bit bossy.’

In response he kid threw him a sassy glare and a smile to accompany it ‘Of course I am!’

Greg rolled his eyes exasperatedly and released his grip around her tiny hand, allowing her to pretty much eject herself forward, running as fast as her little legs could allow her to. Her long hair flowed behind her and she placed her everything in running, passing by various people roaming the corridors. The man had no problem following her, only by quickening his steps a bit and apologizing for all the commotion Des was causing, yet receiving only kind smiles and small chuckles. And Des was running forward; her heart was pounding loudly against her chest and her smile growing with each step she took, getting closer to her destination. She let her excitement course through her veins, energizing her very being and her chuckle reverberated merrily around the corridors as she threw her hands in the air; before she even knew it, she was standing right in front of a towering white door. Her little hands threw themselves on the doorknob and turning it, she wasted no time in waiting for Greg as she pushed it open widely.

And right behind the huge door, a hospital room appeared.

It was vast, probably a lot bigger than any other room inside the hospital, with the only exception being the ICU. Still, it was occupied solely by a single hospital bed, resting on the right side of the room, right across the small TV and the nightstand, which was decorated with a vase filled with anemones. On the far back of the room stood a huge window-wall, which was open to the side, allowing the faint summer breeze enter the room. Surrounding the hospital bed were almost thousands of medical care units, such as a cardiographer, an IV and many more which were not easily recognized for their use. The walls and the floor were painted in a faint pinkish color and the whole room reeked with the smell of medicine mixed with the discreet scent the anemones gave off, making it feel remotely cozy if that was ever possible.

Yet, the room was not completely empty from life.

Right beside the medical bed stood a tall 30-year-old man, with the most vibrant auburn colored hair that anyone had ever seen. They reached just a bit further down his earlobes and were in casual disarray, framing his face gracefully, pointing out his sapphire blue eyes that were focused on the papers he was holding in his hands. He was lean but fairly muscular, with the doctor’s pure white attire further pointing out the contrast of his natural colors, making him look a bit pale but still breathtaking. He was scribbling down furiously, but as the small girl entered the room, his eyes darted up and towards her, allowing a big smile adorn his face the moment he saw the little girl.

‘Destiny, how many times have I told you to knock first before you enter?’ he gently scolds the little girl, but the smile never wavers from his lips.

‘Oh, come on Jack, don’t be so hard on her; she was just too excited. Isn’t that right honey?’ another voice mutters weakly, but surely, squeezing the protruding hand of the doctor with whatever powers it had left. Jack’s eyes turn and soften a bit more, before he simply shrugs and rests the papers to the side.

Des beams a wide smile ‘That’s right mommy!’

You laugh ‘Come here sweetheart; give me a hug.’

Patting the empty space on the bed right beside you, you watch as Des literally darts towards you, using her small hands to climb the tall bed before she throws herself towards you, wrapping her hands around your neck with all her power. Immediately, you hug her petite figure and you caress her (h/l) (h/c) hair which was a perfect match with your own. Nobody needed the accelerated beating of the cardiographer to know that your heart was speeding up as you hugged your daughter with all the power you had, seeing her for the first time in a month. As Des leans back, you give her a tender kiss in the forehead, looking at her beautiful face with nothing but admiration. Who cared that the tubes connected with your hands pained you? You had more urgent matters to attend to. 

‘I missed you honey.’ You admit, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She looked so beautiful with her hair down like that and her big blue eyes; she was the spitting image of Jack, with the only exception being her vivid (h/s) (h/c) hair which were exactly like yours.

‘These are for you, mommy!’ she exclaims, giving you a bouquet of Valley lilies ‘Me and Lucky picked them up for you!’

You raise your eyebrows ‘They are beautiful! Thank you my love.’

‘Are you behaving well with Monica, Destiny? I hope you are not playing any pranks with her, just like we talked about.’ Jack interrupts the two of you, sitting on your bed and messing the girl’s hair back to the disarray you had fixed.

Des pouts adorably, folding her hands over her chest ‘Of course not daddy! But uncle Greg taught me a new trick with the sugar and the salt!’

The moment these words leave Des’s mouth, an irritated glare passes through Jack’s majestic characteristics and he snaps his head towards Greg who raised his hands in surrender and backed away a bit, nodding with his head.

‘I warned her not to do it, Jack, I swear.’ He chuckles nervously ‘And you little elf, you give me out like that?’ he says to Des who takes her tongue out mockingly, making you laugh for the first time in a really long while.

Jack though, was not amused at all ‘Am I going to have to find a _nother_ damn babysitter Greg? First Sam and now you, I swear I’m going to make you lot babysit her.’

‘You know Gabby would not oppose that at all. I swear she could kick me out of the house if she wanted to babysit Destiny and had no space to do so. And Sam is the one to blame you know; she taught the little squirt all the tricks.’ Greg rolls his eyes, pulling a spare chair and sitting next to your bed.

‘I will have a talk with her later, rest assured. Is Gabby coming over?’ Jack asked.  
Greg nodded ‘Later on. She still has a few matters to take care of in the animal shelter, but since _______ is awake, she is going to drop by later.’

‘Don’t worry yourself too much Jack. I’m going to come out of the hospital in a few days and I’ll take care of Destiny, just like before.’ You try to pacify him, rubbing his hand with your thumb in a reassuring way.

It seemed to work; Jack turned his eyes towards you and breathed in, before raising your entwined hands and softly placing a kiss on them, making your thoughts go blank for a split second. Even after so many years, he still took your breath away.

‘You should rest ______. I told you, I will take care of things and I’m keeping my promise.’ He steadily declared.

You chuckle weakly ‘What would I do without my loving husband?’

Reaching out your hand, you cup the side of his face as the man leans in and places a loving kiss on your lips, with you cherishing the moment with everything you had; it was these small and extremely valuable moments which you cherished in your broken heart. Why? Because you had reached the end of Life so suddenly and so closely, that coming back from the literal dead was simply a miracle as the rest of the doctors called it. Yet, was a miracle performed solely by Jack himself.

Life was never too easy for you.

After Jack left for college, you had to focus on your studies the harder you could in order to follow his path, pushing through the abuse and neglect you were receiving from your mother and stepfather. It was Jack that was keeping you going strong and determined, even if he was far away and you couldn’t see him as much as you’d like. That was until you managed to get accepted to the very same university. Both of you were overjoyed and finally able to start your lives away from what was holding you back all this time, being free to enjoy one another to its fullest, allowing your pure love bloom. That was, until you were diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis on your twentieth birthday. You did notice way before that, that there was something wrong going on with you, since you were growing tired more easily, panted a bit more than before and couldn’t run as much as you did, but the diagnosis was what confirmed your worst fears. Earth was lost under you; you didn’t know what you were going to do! You could not leave Jack alone! You simply could not die!

Jack was adamant about it as well; you were not going to die.

So, your beloved boyfriend studied the best and hardest he could, becoming the best cardiologist in Georgia. He knew that a transplant was the only way to save you and he did whatever was in his power to be the one to do the transplant. After both of you graduated, you got married in a small chapel next to the forest, with Greg being your best man and Gabby with Sam being your bridesmaids. Your grandmother bought you a nice house in the suburbs of Atlanta and you were as happy as you could ever be. Especially when, a few months later, Destiny came in your lives. As it was expected, Jack was the best father for your little girl and you were doing your best to be the best mom you could ever be. You were all happy. You were overjoyed and living your lives with pure love. Your heart was steady for a few years, giving you the false impression that everything was going to be alright.

Up until you had a heart attack in the middle of a picnic, two months ago.

Jack rushed you to the hospital, carrying you and running there; he spared no thought on what he was supposed to do. He simply grabbed you and ran. The rest of the doctors immediately placed you in ICU, before they started searching furiously for a compatible heart and thankfully for you, they did just a few weeks later. Jack insisted on performing the surgery, but even like that, you almost died on that surgery table. Your new heart took more than expected to start beating and you could swear you saw a bright light flashing before you, with your father’s face appearing in the distance, smiling kindly to you. Thankfully for you though, Jack did the impossible and brought you back.

Now, you were spending your days in the hospital, getting better and better with each heartbeat. You were going to be alright. You were going to live a long, happy life with Jack and give him even more children. Seriously, the man was simply the best with Destiny and it was adorable to watch.

‘So who was the one to give our little ____ here a heart?’ Greg popped up as you and Jack broke the kiss, continuing to stare lovingly at each other.

Jack rolled his eyes ‘Greg, I am not allowed to reveal that.’

‘Come on Jack, I am sure you can make an exception for us.’ You flash him one of your special smiles, knowing he could not resist it. And surely enough, you see his shoulders loosen.

‘If I tell you, I’m going to get myself fired.’

‘We will not let that happen. Right Greg? Either way, I am curious as well.’ You admit slyly.

You keep your steady gaze fixated on Jack, who stares you back with his blue eyes, not wavering for a bit. But you knew him all too well to not yield him. Using one of your hidden tricks, you grace him with a devious, playful smile, the one he claimed Destiny had inherited from you and used when she made babysitters live a living hell. It was the smile that made him do anything you wished, but you didn’t use it too much; last time you did, Destiny popped out a few months later. A few silent moments pass and eventually, Jack sighs, surrendering. Mentally, you high-fived yourself.

‘You and I Greg have heard of her you know.’ He starts, turning to gaze at his best friend ‘It’s Jenny Smith.’

If you were a cartoon character, a small question mark would appear hovering over your head, but the same couldn’t be said for Greg, who almost jumped out of his chair.

‘The cult-freak?’ he exclaims and Jack nods.

‘She was killed in a car accident a few months back and her parents donated her organs.’ Jack admitted.

Greg’s eyes were almost ready to pop out of his skull at that point ‘The same Jenny that flirted with you and invited you in her creepy-ass cave with her friends?’

A pinch of jealousy flashes through your heart ‘She flirted with you Jack?’

The man nods ‘Thank God I didn’t go though. Who would know what could have happened.’

‘But she did flirt with you.’ you narrow your eyes on your husband, never failing to notice that your grip around his hand had turned steely, squeezing him as hard as you could.

Jack swallowed hard and even Greg noticed that the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees; it was his heads-up to leave you alone and take Destiny along.

‘Des love, how about we go get some ice-cream huh? Leave mom and dad alone or a bit?’ Greg shoots up from his chair, grabbing the petite girl and throwing her over his shoulder like it was nothing, with her giggling happily ‘It’s going to get nasty in here.’

‘______, it was nothing, I swear.’ Jack turns even paler than before and you could almost see his panicked eyes switching from you to the retreating form of Greg, who literally dashed out of the room.

Jack was mentally screaming for help, but you were not going to let him go anywhere.

Which only made him bathe in cold sweat.

‘She flirted with you?’ you say.

‘Y-yes.’ He admits, squeezing your hand to reassure you. You were scaring him and you knew it.

‘But you didn’t fool around with her right?’

‘Of course not!’ he declares ‘She was not you. That is the biggest problem with all the women in this world. They are not you.’ raising your entwined hands, he kisses them once again and you notice your wedding rings flash with a golden glow in the bright summer light.

It was these declarations coming out of your soulmate’s lips, that made your heart and mind melt away under the heat of his declarations. Smiling brightly, you raise your hand to grab his collar and pulling him closely, the both of you kiss deeply. Your lips half open and your tongue welcomes his own, as Jack leans in towards you, wrapping his sturdy hands around your delicate form with extreme care and love. Your heart pounded loudly against your chest and you could actually feel his own, beating at the same pace; it was perfect. Each kiss, each touch you shared was as heated and as perfect as the very first one, filled with love and longing, as if by merely standing next to each other and not touching created a longing that was unable to be withstood. That was what perfect love felt like; it blew your heart and mind away and left you unable to breathe if your lips were not met with your loved ones. It was as if you were bound to see the world as black and white, except in the cases where you and your loved one touched and kissed one another. The kind of love great writers write about and poets can only hope for. It had surpassed the limits of Life and Death, leaving only your undying love behind. You knew that no matter where you were, who or what you were, you were going to love this man just as much as you did now. And nothing could ever stand in your way. Not even the Gods above.

Breaking the kiss, Jack inhales a sharp breath ‘I love you. I loved you in the past, I love you now and I will always love you, in this life and into the next one. Nothing will ever stop me from finding you over and over again.’ He repeats his wedding vows, breathlessly, quietly, bringing tears to your eyes.

‘I will always love you, and I will always wait for you; into this life and into the next ones. You are my best friend, my lover, my soul and heart. Nothing will ever bring us apart and Death is only a little dust under our feet. I love you Jack.’ You repeat your vows as well.

Your lips meet once again and both of you melt into one another.


End file.
